Home » Tag Archives: Emergency Department UHL

Tag Archives: Emergency Department UHL

Elective activity cancelled with UHL under serious pressure

ALL elective activity and outpatient clinics at UHL are being cancelled from this Wednesday to Friday, July 28-30, in order to de-escalate the site and assist with patient flow amid consistently high numbers attending the emergency department (ED). UL Hospitals Group is urging members of the public to consider all available care options before attending the ED at UHL, which continues to manage an exceptionally high level of emergency presentations and admissions this week. Activity at the group’s other hospitals is unaffected by this decision, and emergency care will continue. UL Hopitals Group said today the move was “necessary to manage risk and stabilise the UHL site in advance of what is anticipated to be a busy Bank Holiday weekend”. “We regret the impact these cancellations will have on patients who had expected to attend for their procedures this week. Patients directly affected by this decision are being contacted directly by UL Hospitals Group, and will be rescheduled at the …

Read More »

Exceptionally busy A&E at UHL prompts call to consider alternatives

THE UL Hospitals Group has appealed to members of the public to consider all alternative care options rather than visit the extremely busy emergency department at UHL. People with less urgent complaints are advised to expect long delays at the ED today, and should first consider Injury Units, GPs, out-of-hours GP services and pharmacists before attending ED, which continues to experience record presentations. In the 24 hours to 8am on Sunday, 249 people presented at ED. Over the past five days, the average attendance has been 252, with a mid-week high on Wednesday of 274. This is far in excess of the 195 average daily presentation figure in the last full year pre-pandemic (2019). The exceptionally high level of emergency presentations and admissions UHL reflects the experience at hospitals across the country. As part of its escalation plan, additional ward rounds, accelerated discharges and identification of patients for transfer to Model 2 hospitals are all underway. A spokesperson for the …

Read More »

Steer clear of UHL ED with ‘less urgent complaints’

THE UL Hospitals’ Group has warned that patients with less urgent complaints will face long delays when they attend the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick following chronic overcrowding, writes Dan Danaher. There were 44 patients on trolleys in UHL on Wednesday, which was the highest in the country, and was nine more than the 35 in Cork University Hospital. The group has advised people to consider attending injury inits, GPs, out-of-hour GP services and pharmacists before presenting at an Emergency Department, which is experiencing record numbers. Dr Joe Kelly, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, UL Hospitals Group, said: “In common with colleagues in emergency medicine across the country, the Emergency Department here in University Hospital Limerick is managing very high numbers of emergency presentations and admissions, of a level rarely experienced here, even before the pandemic. “On Monday of this week, alone, there were 280 presentations to ED – that’s 85 more than the average attendance in the last full …

Read More »

Deputy McNamara seeks expanded role for Ennis Hospital

SERVICES need to be expanded in Ennis Hospital to reduce the possibility of a “car crash” scenario of massive overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) next winter. That was the warning issued by Deputy Michael McNamara, who has asked Health Minister Simon Harris what measures is he putting in place to ensure acute patients who need to go to UHL attend the ED and those who can be treated in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals are accommodated there. Deputy McNamara called for an expansion of services in Ennis Hospital to prevent chronic overcrowding in UHL next winter. “A huge escalation in the capability of Ennis to deal with the local injuries unit and the medical assessment unit as well as outpatient facilities is needed so that we do not have the overcrowding that looks almost inevitable now. It is like looking at a car crash from six months away. “University Hospital Limerick has been consistently the most overcrowded hospital in the …

Read More »

Public urged to avoid attending overcrowded UHL

UL Hospitals Group is urging members of the public to consider all care options before attending the Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) today, Monday. The hospital is managing high volumes of patients that have arisen due to a busy 48-72 hours in the Emergency Department. “We apologise to those patients who are experiencing lengthy waits for beds, and we would like to reassure them, and their families, that we are working to alleviate the situation. We have reduced our elective surgical activity as we prioritise emergency admissions at this time. We are appropriately transferring patients to other hospitals in our Group and are working with HSE MidWest Community Healthcare to access appropriate beds within the community,” UHIL said in a statement today. “All patients are receiving expert medical care and every effort is being made to make their stay as comfortable as possible. Meanwhile, we urge people to consider all available care options and not attend the ED …

Read More »
University Hospital Limerick.

UHL Hospitals’ Group issues ED appeal

  UL Hospitals’ Group has appealed to patients throughout the Mid-West to avoid the Emergency Department (ED) in the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) unless they have a serious of life-threatening injury. In a statement issued to the Clare Champion, the group acknowledged the ED in UHL has been very busy over the last few days following the admission of a lot of seriously ill patients, many of whom remain in the ED awaiting a bed. The gropu are asking people to think about all their care and treatment options and keep ED services for the patients who need them most. Many patients with limb injuries can go to an Injury Unit in Ennis, Nenagh or St John’s Hospital. Injury Units are open in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday and 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday at St. John’s Hospital. Other patients with a less serious illness can be treated by their GP or out of …

Read More »
University Hospital Limerick.

Uncertainty over emergency department opening date

CONCERN is growing over the lack of a definitive date for the opening of the new Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). UL Hospitals’ Group chief executive officer Colette Cowan told a recent HSE West Forum meeting that she hoped the new ED would open at the end of May, subject to funding and the recruitment of new nurses. Ms Cowan stated that about 20 of the 30 nurses required for the new ED have already been hired and the group confirmed this week that a few more have been employed since that meeting. However, Councillor Tom McNamara has expressed concern about the lack of a definite date for the opening of the new department. Councillor McNamara has called for an initiative to incentivise the retention of nurses in acute hospitals, such as providing free training to those studying nursing provided they stay for five years in the public system after they graduate. The Fianna Fáil councillor said …

Read More »