Tag Archives: UHL

THE publication of a strongly critical report of the Emergency Department in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has prompted a range of emotions for a local hospital campaigner. Marie McMahon from Ennistymon has been actively campaigning for the restoration of 24-hour casualty cover in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals for years. Her husband, Tommy died on a hospital trolley in April 2018 after spending about 36 hours waiting to get a bed. In an interview with the Clare Champion, those sad memories lingered for Marie, but she was happy that the HIQA report had vindicated the long, hard fight by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign for decent health provision for the people in the region. “The HIQA Report has validated all the things we have been saying that have been missed. Finally a body with some authority has stated in a report what those in authorities have been denying. “Everyone was putting their own spin on things. This report shows we …

ONE of the 60 patients in the Emergency Department at UHL was waiting more than 116 hours for a hospital bed, an inspection report completed by the Health Information and Equality Authority has found. Inspectors who visited UHL unannounced on March 15 found a second was waiting over 85 hours and a third was waiting 71 hours. Hospital management told inspectors that all three patients were awaiting suitable in-patient isolation facilities. Performance data on the patient experience time collected on the day of HIQA’s inspection was poor. The data showed that at 11.30am the hospital was not compliant with any of the national key performance indicators for the emergency department set by the HSE. At that time 76 patients (55%) attendees to the emergency department were in the department for more than six hours after registration. Over half (51%) of the attendees to the emergency department were in the department for more than nine hours after registration. Just over one …

AN INSPECTION by HIQA has found that conditions in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick pose a significant risk to the provision of care and to the health and welfare of people receiving care. The report by the health watchdog, published today, found UHL’s emergency department to be non-compliant in three key indicators from the National Standards for safer better healthcare. It was only partially compliant with the other key standard. Excessive demand on services, ineffective patient flow and insufficient nurse staffing levels were all highlighted in the report of an inspection that took place at the hospital on March 15 of this year. On that date HIQA conducted a risk-based unannounced inspection of the ED at UHL to follow up on issues of overcrowding and to assess preparations for the risk of additional severe crowding over the upcoming bank holiday weekend of March 17 to 20. During the inspection, HIQA assessed compliance with four key standards under the …

UL Hospitals Group has notified of “significant” reductions in scheduled care in effect across its facilities as it continues to manage high volumes of patients through its Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). The hospital raised its level of escalation on Monday, May 30, resulting in the deferral of all but the most time-critical elective activity this Tuesday and Wednesday. While outpatient activity at UHL is being restored this Thursday and Friday, almost all elective surgical procedures and diagnostic investigations are deferred for the remainder of this week until Friday, June 3. Elective and day surgery is also impacted at Nenagh Hospital and St John’s Hospital until this Friday. A spokesperson said, “We regret that some patients will have their surgery deferred and all affected patients are being contacted directly by hospital staff. Patients attending for day surgery at Ennis Hospital are advised to attend as planned for the remainder of this week unless contacted directly by the hospital …

AN elderly patient suffering from dementia went missing following admittance to University Hospital Limerick amid claims “Groundhog Day” had arrived for staff and patients with 118 people left on trolleys earlier this week. Limerick Deputy Maurice Quinlivan has revealed on Monday he was contacted by the family of an elderly patient who suffers from dementia. “This elderly woman who had been admitted to the hospital the night before was discovered to be missing on Monday morning. Thankfully she was found by the Gardaí two hours after she had left the hospital. “The family advised that while security could stop them from entering the hospital, nobody noticed this woman exiting her ward, the hospital building or the hospital grounds. “I have subsequently been contacted by other families who have highlighted similar stories about their loved ones. Frontline staff at the hospital can only do so much but they are burned out and lacking bed capacity,” he said. The UL Hospitals’ Group …

CLARE people are afraid to go to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) due to chronic overcrowding and huge trolley numbers in the ED and corridors, a councillor has claimed. Councillor Liam Grant told a HSE West Forum meeting on Tuesday that patients were dying due to overcrowding in UHL and the longer a person waits on trolley for care the higher the risk of sickness or even death. Having visited UHL in his role as an emergency medical technician on a regular basis, Councillor Grant alleged there is a lack of dignity and respect treating patients in the hospital. “It has gone to the stage where people are afraid to go to UHL, which is a sorry state of affairs. Staff are exhausted and demoralised. “Elderly people are being moved on trolleys around corridors and hallways. They are scared, alone and are not being looked after properly. It is a sorry state of affairs the way we are treating elderly people …

HEALTH specialists from the HSE’s Performance Management Team have started a review of the management of the Emergency Department in UHL. Responding to questions from Senator Martin Conway at a Health Committee meeting this week, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said these specialists would be working with the clinical and management team to address issues at the hospital. Senator Conway asked Mr Reid what was his view on the need for an independent review of overcrowding in UHL, which has been requested by the staff and nursing unions. Mr Reid said the issues affecting the ED in UHL were different than Galway and didn’t support the call for an independent review as he felt their specialist team had the expertise to look at patient flow and other factors that are impacting on the hospital. National HSE acute operations director, Liam Woods said while the situation at UHL is not unique, he acknowledged attendance growth is one of the highest nationally …

PROTESTS are being planned to highlight the state of local health services, particularly the situation at the region’s main hospital where the number being treated on trolleys frequently exceeds 100 people daily. The Mid-West Hospital campaign is organising a day of action starting at the former Debenhams store in Limerick this Saturday at 1pm. The following Saturday, May 21, at 2pm there will be a protest at the Square in Ennis. A former election candidate for Sinn Féin, Noeleen Moran said the Mid-West Hospital campaign is not aligned with any party, and wants to get support from across the community. “It goes back to 2019, we had the first public meeting in the Old Ground. There’s a mixture of people from all political parties and none, and trade unions are supporting it too. “It started because of the level of overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick, there was a need to do something. “Marie McMahon was one of the founding members, …