Tag Archives: UL Hospitals Group

  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 …

UL Hospitals Group has signed a three-year service level agreement with Blood Bike Mid West for emergency transport services. Blood Bike Mid West has been transporting laboratory samples, breastmilk, drugs and much more to, from and between acute hospitals in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary since 2013 and currently has a team of over 40 volunteer riders, both male and female, operating in the region. Based in Limerick City, Blood Bike Mid West offers a 24-7 emergency callout service to UL Hospitals Group. They have a dedicated weekend service transporting samples from the Maternity Hospital to the Laboratories in UHL and in addition they have scheduled collections in Ennis, Nenagh & Croom Hospitals every weekend. “We did in the region of 1,000 urgent callouts last year: bloods, urine, placentas, breastmilk, burn dressings, whatever is needed,” said Larry Hunt, Operations, Blood Bike Mid West. Blood Bike Mid West rely entirely on donations and are always on the lookout for new volunteers. These …

Staff at University Hospital Limerick and across UL Hospitals Group, including Ennis, are getting ready to hit the road for their annual charity 5k. This year their efforts will benefit Friends of Ghana. The event, on Friday, August 25, will see staff of all abilities taking part in the 5k run and walk around the Dooradoyle – Raheen area of Limerick City which, now in its third year, has become an annual event at UHL. This year, the event is in aid of the Friends of Ghana , an NGO formed last year by UL Hospitals Group and its academic partner the University of Limerick to deliver medical training programmes in the remote Upper West Region of Ghana. A team from UL Hospitals Group and UL visited Ghana recently to deliver a programme in pre-hospital emergency care to 80 health workers in the Region and further programmes are planned. Promoting exercise in the workplace is part of UL Hospital Group’s …

IRELAND’S largest and most advanced emergency department has opened today (Monday) at University Hospital Limerick. A €24 million project spans 3,850 square metres of floor space, over three times the size of the old department. In 2016, UHL had the busiest emergency department in the country, with over 64,000 attendances. Almost 100 additional staff have been recruited to work in the emergency department, which has increased capacity for patients and has been designed with the input of senior clinicians to improve patient flow, reduce patient experience times (PET) and improve outcomes for the sickest patients. The new emergency department features the most advanced diagnostic equipment of any such facility in Ireland or the UK, including a c. €1 million, 128-slice CT scanner which is mounted on a track to minimise the movement of the sickest patients in resuscitation. The facility is separated into different pods and zones, allowing for paediatric patients, major cases, minor cases etc to be treated separately, …

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 …

A NEW dermatology clinic in Ennis Hospital has spared Clare patients the time and expense of regular trips to University Hospital Limerick. The clinic, run once a month by locum consultant dermatologist Dr Maeve Lynch and Sheila Ryan, advanced nurse practitioner in dermatology, can accommodate up to 20 outpatients per clinic. “It is a general dermatology seeing all the common skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne and skin cancer patients. We see patients of every age from birth up to the elderly,” said Dr Lynch. “The clinic started in September 2016 and we are running it once a month. The aim is to improve access for patients in Clare to save them having to travel in to Limerick. It has just started but we are pleased with how it has been going so far,” added Dr Lynch. Patricia O’Gorman, Operational Director of Nursing, Ennis Hospital, noted: “It is part of the strategy for the UL Hospitals Group that …

UL Hospitals Group has welcomed the successful outcome to conciliation talks at the Workplace Relations Commission that have averted an industrial action planned for University Maternity Hospital Limerick tomorrow (Friday). Earlier this month, the group had been notified by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation that its members intended to stage a work-to-rule after agreement could not be reached at the WRC on staffing levels at UMHL. But an agreement reached last week, following re-engagement at the WRC, provides a basis for UL Hospitals, INMO and SIPTU to work on addressing the concerns expressed by staff. It also includes measures around rostering, training, elective activity and other matters. The agreement was reached without prejudice to the National Birthrate Plus Workforce Planning Group established by the Minister for Health to assess appropriate staffing levels in our maternity services. A report from this group is awaited. UL Hospitals Group CEO Colette Cowan said, “I recognise the sincere and genuine engagement by both sides in resolving …

A MEELICK doctor has scooped a major honour awarded by the University of Limerick (UL) Graduate Entry Medical School. Dr Dermot Murphy, a native of Old Cratloe Road, Meelick and a recent graduate of the UL Graduate Entry Medical School, has been presented with the inaugural O’Higgins Medal at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). Dr Murphy has just commenced his intern year at UHL and is looking forward to working with the medical and surgical teams there. He will commence his work in the areas of general and vascular surgery. The award is supported by Professor Niall O’Higgins, chairman of the Board of UL Hospitals. It was approved and supported by the UL Hospitals’ chief academic officer and foundation head of the Graduate Entry Medical School, Professor Paul Finucane and the UL authorities at the Graduate Entry Medical School. Dr Murphy said it is an honour to receive the award. “I was genuinely surprised and delighted to be recognised by the …