Tag Archives: UL Hospitals Group

THE UL Hospitals’ Group has defended its management of administering vaccines against Covid-19 following concern over the disparity in distribution among hospital groups. Senator Martin Conway said certain questions remained unanswered in view of statements made by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on this issue. He said it looks as if the national vaccination group approached all the hospital groups and asked them how many they needed to vaccinate and the micro management of the roll out was managed by the individual hospital group. “Why did Ennis Hospital receive vaccines initially and Nenagh Hospital didn’t? Why didn’t the mental health nurses get it? “How did the South West Hospital Group administer 19,000 and the UL Hospitals’ Group only 3,400 in the same period of time? “The group needs to supply details how many vaccines it requested in the first round and outline in chronological order step by step what engagement they had with the national immunisation task force and what number …

SOME patient-facing health care workers employed in the UL Hospitals’ Group still haven’t received the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 earlier this week. That’s according to assistant director of industrial relations, Mary Fogarty, who told The Clare Champion some health care staff are pleading with their managers to get the vaccine. “This is a huge priority issue to protect people. It is a matter of concern for our members that they have not been prioritised and other employees have received the vaccine who are not patient-facing.” She said there is now a HSE portal that should be able to prioritise patient-facing employees. In a recent memo to public representatives, group chief executive officer, Professor Colette Cowan stated the group continue to issue as much vaccine as possible, in line with national guidance and based on availability of vaccines and clinical prioritisation. “The group recognise the anxiety experienced by unvaccinated staff during the current surge in Covid-19 activity, and …

THE capacity situation in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) remains “precarious”, despite a reduction in the 14-day incidence of Covid-19 throughout the Mid-West. The UL Hospitals’ Group has pleaded with Clare people to continue following public health guidelines as the acuity of patients remains high, with their critical care surge plan activated and a significant number of patients on inpatient wards who require respiratory support. The group has also warned even when Covid-19 patients are delisted, they require a significantly longer hospital stay for support and rehabilitation compared to non Covid-19 patients. This come as official statistics show the 14-day incidence of the virus in the Banner has fallen from 536% last week to 322% this week, which is now the fifth lowest in the country. Interestingly, the 14-day incidence rate in Tipperary at 553% is now higher than Clare but is much lower than Limerick, which stands at 853%. According to figures produced by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, there …

NURSES in the Mid-West could face disciplinary action if they decide to use a safer standard of face mask, a nursing union has claimed. According to the INMO, frontline hospital staff in Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh, and Croom have been told they could face disciplinary action if they upgrade to using a safer standard of face mask. However, this has been disputed by the UL Hospitals’ Group, who stated nothing in the memo restricts staff from wearing FFP2 face masks where appropriate and in line with national infection prevention and control guidelines. It has also emerged the number of health care staff off on Covid-19-related leave increased to 602 on Wednesday last. This figure is subject to change and may increase or decrease later in the week. It includes staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 either through the workplace or community transmission, close contacts of positive cases and staff who are showing symptoms and are staying off work in line …

HOSPITAL waiting lists look set to increase significantly again following the cancellation of the majority of scheduled surgery and outpatient appointments in public acute facilities amid concern from a local senator Covid-19 is spreading in Clare like “wildfire”. UL Hospitals’ Group has confirmed the deferral, until further notice, of the majority of scheduled surgery and outpatient appointments across the group. This includes University Hospital Limerick, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St John’s Hospital and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital. University Maternity Hospital Limerick is unaffected by the reductions. The number of Clare and Mid-West public in-patient and day case waiting lists soared from 4,198 in January 2020 to 6,612 last November, while the numbers on outpatients’ lists jumped dramatically from 47,134 to 55,088 during the same period. There has been an increase of almost 3,000 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the Mid-West from December 19 to January 3. According to official statistics, the number of positive cases in Clare jumped from 1,546 to 2,135; …

A HOSPITAL medic has appealed for people to follow all public health guidelines to curb the increasing spread of Covid-19 as the UL Hospitals’ Group prepares for a surge in admissions of very sick patients with the virus. Visiting bans which were imposed across acute public hospital sites in the Mid-West at the outset of the pandemic in March 2020 remain in force. Prof Brian Lenehan, Chief Clinical Director, UL Hospitals’ Group said the group regretted it is again curtailing scheduled care in their hospitals. He pledged the group will prioritise their most urgent patients for planned procedures and appointments and look forward to increasing this activity as soon as possible. “We have commenced vaccinating hospital staff against Covid-19 as part of the biggest such mass vaccination campaign ever seen in Ireland. It gives our staff such a sense of optimism that we are at the beginning of the end of this pandemic. “They know what they are potentially facing …

SIGNIFICANT increases in hospital bed capacity and development of a range of integrated community care packages and enhanced home care supports are at the core of the joint €35.7 million UL Hospitals’ Group (ULHG) and HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare Winter Plan for 2020-21. The Winter Plan is a range of integrated measures aimed at keeping the residents of the Mid-West well and ensuring the safe provision of care in our hospitals during a period of unprecedented challenge for the health services. While Covid-19 remains prevalent within the community, the total Winter Plan investment of almost €36m will improve access to appropriate care at home or close to home, with an emphasis on hospital avoidance. Under the plan, more than €20 million is allocated to UL Hospitals’ Group for investment in staffing for its ongoing expansion of single-room bed capacity, primarily at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). Since the Autumn, UHL has opened 38 beds in new rapid-build bed blocks constructed under …

CONCERN has been expressed about the lack of a definitive opening date for a new €19.5 million 60- bed block modular unit to tackle overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) after a government minister recently pledged it would be operational at this stage. Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler stated in the Seanad recently “from a construction perspective, the new ward block should be ready to be operational by Monday, November 9”. In fact, Minister Butler praised all those involved on their hard work and patience in seeing the much-needed additional capacity for University Hospital Limerick come to fruition. She also thanked Senator Martin Conway for his constructive approach as she was aware he had raised this issue many times. “The Government is committed to developing acute hospital services and infrastructure. University Hospital Limerick is an integral part of the University of Limerick hospital group, providing hospital services and care to the populations of Limerick, …