Tag Archives: UHL

EIGHT out of every ten nurses working in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) felt exhausted at the end of the day, according to the findings of a new survey. The findings of this INMO survey coincide with ongoing chronic overcrowding in UHL which hit a high last week of 84 patients on trolleys. The UL Hospitals’ Group announced earlier that week that UHL would be closed to inpatient visiting for a number of days, while the hospital managed multiple outbreaks of Covid-19 and influenza across the site. The INMO stated, “Not only have our members been placed under enormous pressure owing to a global pandemic, but now, the endemic of consistent overcrowding is significantly impacting the mental and physical health of staff.” To gain an insight into how nurses felt, the INMO surveyed members in a number of public hospitals. In University Hospital Limerick, 80.64% stated that they always or often felt worn out by the end of the day, and …

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick (UHL) will be closed to inpatient visiting for the next number of days due to multiple outbreaks of Covid-19 and influenza across the site. There are limited exceptions to the safety measure including parents visiting children in hospital; people assisting confused patients (e.g. dementia) (on a case-by-case basis); people visiting patients who are critically unwell or at end of life (on a case-by-case basis). All exemptions are limited to one person per patient only. Seven wards are currently affected, and on the recommendation of the UL Hospitals outbreak teams, the decision to close to visitors was taken as a precautionary measure. A spokesperson said that all appropriate infection control precautions were being followed to minimise the risk of spreading infection among staff and patients in the hospital, and also within the wider community. “The situation is being monitored and reviewed daily, and we will relax the restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so. We’re …

THE Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is closely monitoring the overcrowding situation at UHL, a Clare TD has been assured. Following a request from Deputy Michael McNamara for an inquiry into the ongoing overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has written to him and said the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) are looking at the situation. In a letter to Mr McNamara the Minister said, “With regard to your suggestion of an inquiry, HIQA has advised that they are closely monitoring the overcrowding situation in a number of hospitals including at Limerick over the last number of weeks. “With respect to Limerick in particular – HIQA has also been in recent correspondence with the Hospital Group CEO to seek further information and assurances from them relating to their evaluation of the current factors influencing crowding in the emergency department. “The resultant evaluation which HIQA received is very comprehensive and strongly highlights the Hospital Group’s view …

MORE nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and specialists are needed to help reduce chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, according to Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. Minister Donnelly said it was really good to met healthcare staff in UHL recently including hospital porters, nurses, allied health professionals, doctors, management and patients. The minister outlined he wanted to see first-hand what is working – because there has been a lot of investment in UHL – and what is not working. “What I have seen is an incredible healthcare community, their professionalism, dedication and skill is amazing. We are very lucky to have such people.” “However, it is also clear to me they are exhausted and stressed. They have been dealing with relentless pressure. I think our healthcare workforce during Covid-19 have been the very best of us. “No sooner had we a reprieve from Covid-19, than we had record attendances at emergency departments, we have a lot of people with deferred care …

UL HOSPITALS Group has notified the public that there will be significant delays at UHL’s emergency department (ED) today. The group has advised people to consider all alternative care options before attending ED as it is busy managing high attendances of very sick people with a variety of complex illnesses, including Covid-19. People with less urgent complaints are advised to expect long delays at the ED today, and have been asked to first consider attending one of the local injury units, (such as that at Ennis), GPs, out-of-hours GP services and pharmacists before attending ED, which continues to experience high presentations. A spokesperson said, “We are working to ensure that care is prioritised for the sickest patients, and as part of our escalation plan, additional ward rounds, accelerated discharges and identification of patients for transfer to our Model 2 hospitals are all underway. We have also opened surge capacity to manage the extremely high levels of activity. “We are reminding …

HEALTH Minister Stephen Donnelly has refuted claims that a “clean up operation” was carried out in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) to present a better picture for him before his hospital visit last week, writes Dan Danaher. Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, February 17, Sinn Féin Senator Paul Garvan highlighted a “shocking” issue at UHL concerning the minister’s visit to the hospital. “I had people reach out to me from the hospital yesterday to tell me what was happening ahead of his visit. Trolleys have been moved out to other wards in the hospital, as well as to step-down hospitals. “One person told me that there were more private ambulances there yesterday than they had seen in a long time. They were to get patients out, ahead of the visit. “Unfortunately for hospital management, and in fairness to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, he called in unexpectedly yesterday (Wednesday) evening. “The response to that was to hide patients in the …

CHRONIC overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) is back under the national spotlight following confirmation HIQA is considering inspecting the Emergency Department as part of its recent monitoring of this issue. The INMO’s Trolley Watch reported there were 87 patients on trolleys in UHL last week, which fell to 71 on Tuesday before increasing again to 75 on Wednesday. Calls are being made for the Emergency Department Taskforce to be convened and for emergency measures to be deployed in the areas worst hit. UHL regularly has the dubious distinction of being the most overcrowded hospital in the country. Deputy Michael McNamara has called on the HSE and government to publish the findings of a review by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) into the ongoing trolley crisis at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). The Independent Deputy issued his request in Dáil Éireann on Wednesday after Junior Health Minister Mary Butler confirmed to him that the health agency has written to …

OVERCROWDING surged again in University Hospital Limerick this week close to record levels following recent calls for an independent inquiry into why this continues to be a problem at the region’s flagship acute hospital. The number of patients on trolleys increased from 63 on Tuesday to 89 on Wednesday after 78 patients were waiting for a bed on Monday, according to the INMO’s Trolley Watch. An Taoiseach Micheál Martin has pledged to ask Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to set up an independent inquiry into chronic overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) after two record-breaking days of trolley numbers last week. Surging admissions, which resulted in 97 patients languishing on trolleys in UHL on Tuesday, January 25 and 111 on Wednesday, January 26 have prompted calls for an independent inquiry into overcrowding. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Taoiseach to commission an official independent inquiry to establish “what is the problem with healthcare in the UHL Hospitals’ Group”. The Taoiseach said there …