Tag Archives: UHL

A WELL KNOWN colorectal surgeon has called on An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to engage in continuing dialogue to increase acute hospitals services and personnel throughout the Mid-West. Professor Calvin Coffey recalled reconfiguration of acute hospital services was supposed to be followed by the introduction of a co-located hospital, additional funding and extra health infrastructure across the region. This didn’t happen due to the economic crash and have not been implemented in recent years by the present government. This has resulted in doctors, nurses, consultants and health care professionals all providing health care above and beyond what they should be providing. Professor Coffey, who is one of the signatories of an open letter signed by 87 consultants and doctors, agreed that chronic overcrowding increases the risk of an adverse outcome for patients on trolleys due to the sheer volume of number and the lack of adequate staff. Stressing the need for investment in hospitals throughout the …

HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has admitted “mistakes” were made implementing the controversial removal of 24-hour Accident and Emergency services in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals in April 2009. Speaking in the Dáil, Minister Donnelly acknowledged “sufficient capacity” was not provided for when changes were made to emergency departments in the Mid-West, which was now being addressed with more beds and health workforce. “UHL is under significant pressure. I turned the sod recently on an additional 96 beds. There are two more plans that will provide a further 200 beds. We are also putting in a surgical hub. There is an awful lot of investment going in. “We will be investing in Nenagh, Ennis and further in St. John’s Hospital and other hospitals. This is the way to do it.” He said changes were being introduced in the new consultant contract to have more senior decision-makers rostered in the evenings and at weekends for patient assessment, treatment, admission and discharge. Addressing the …

A 90-year-old Shannon man, who was living independently prior to hospitalisation, was emotionally traumatised by spending two nights on a trolley in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), family members have claimed. Mick Phelan endured a “horrendous” time on a trolley in December 2014, according to his son, Blaise, who has called on the UL Hospitals’ Group to address chronic overcrowding in the hospital. His daughter, Marena, said Mick went from someone who had bought spare ribs and cabbage for his family before hospitalisation to a person who suffered emotional distress after his trolley experience. A GAA fanatic and one of the founder members of Wolfe Tones GAA club, he trained club underage teams and was manager of the club’s best football teams in the early seventies. In addition to travelling to see GAA games all over the country, he regularly acted as a steward for Leinster matches and All-Ireland finals in Croke Park up to the age of 83. His last …

A HOSPITAL campaigner has stated she doesn’t want to receive any more treatment in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) for her ongoing kidney problems due to previous alleged bad experiences. Inga Ammonsen, who grew up in Killaloe, requests her consultant to see her in St John’s Hospital because she doesn’t want to go to UHL after her son, Daniel, who was a qualified chef, died there on February 21, 2021. The 58-year old mother-of-two is still waiting for an inquest because he died suddenly. Living on her own in Limerick City, her left kidney is barely functioning due to disease. About four years ago, she attended a public meeting organised by the Mid-West Hospital Campaign in the Mechanics Institute in Hartstone Street, Limerick, and has actively campaigned with the group since then. She was one of the 100 people who participated in a vigil outside UHL on New Year’s Eve and also attended the recent hospital demonstration in Limerick City. She …

AN Ennis family has called for an independent inquiry to address “unanswered questions” surrounding the death of a popular well known former Shannon Airport Chief Inspector and merchant navy man. Wilma O’Halloran has requested UL Hospitals Group group to conduct an independent inquiry into the circumstances that led to death of her father, John O’Halloran, Upper Cahercalla Road, Ennis before his life support machine in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) had to be turned off on February 22, 2022. In an interview with the Clare Champion, she said there are several “unanswered questions” how a very mobile, fit 83 year-old man who was taken via ambulance with a non-life threatening broken neck ended up dying in UHL. “John walked every day. He was very sociable and made a lot of friends in Éire Óg and from his walks. He would drop and collect his own grandchildren from school. He was very healthy. “I am looking for answers. I would not like …

A HOSPITAL rally organiser has vowed last Saturday’s march in Limerick is only the beginning of a “campaign of people power” that will force change in the delivery of regional health care. Mike Daly, who organised the protest with the help of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, said he hoped this rally would result in the HSE reopening the three EDs in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s. “For 14 years we have watched as they closed our ED, robbed us of hospital beds and watched our people die on trolleys. Well no more, the time has come for change because we deserve better. “Our health system deserves enough workers so it can operate properly. Our elderly deserve better than to lie on a cold, hard trolley. Our young people don’t deserve to die from neglect. “Today, we march for our families, our children and mothers and fathers. When my own father died, it was from one of the most serious cases …

NATIONAL HSE chiefs have defended the controversial removal of 24-hour Emergency Care from Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals following claims University Hospital Limerick is a “centre of death” and a “centre of disaster” for some patients who were left lying on trolleys. The latest criticism of this downgrading came at a Joint Health Committee meeting on Tuesday just days before thousands of hospital campaigners are expected to attend a major protest march in Limerick from Merchants Quay this Saturday. Deputy Cathal Crowe paid tribute to the frontline staff that have worked very hard to keep the hospital system some way functional. “There has been a perpetual crisis in the Mid-West and in particular UHL. We have a population in the mid-west of almost 500,000. There was a time when this population had five Emergency Care Departments, patients were provided with a level of care were discharged and went home. “Sometimes old ways are better. I think it is time the HSE …

CLARE people have been urged to attend a protest march in Limerick to highlight the impact of persistent overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) on January 21. Noeleen Moran of the Mid West Hospital Campaign has requested Clare sporting organisations, community groups and individuals to attend this demonstration, which starts at Merchant’s Quay at 11am. “We need a strong Clare presence at this march to get our message across that 24-hour casualty cover needs to be returned to Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals.” She believes the recent HSE acknowledgement about the danger posed by overcrowding is a direct result of the work of campaigners such as Marie McMahon from Ennistymon among others. “For 82 patients that are left on a trolley for six to eight hours, there is at least one fatality. This increases with the number of hours patients are left waiting. There were at least 77 days when there were more than 82 patients on trolleys in UHL in …