Tag Archives: UL Hospitals

IN A week when the government extended the ban on indoor dining for non-residents of hotels and restaurants, the UL Hospitals’ Group has confirmed there was just one Covid-19 positive patient in University Hospital Limerick on Wednesday. In the week to close of business on Sunday, June 27, a total of 28,979 doses of Covid-19 vaccine were administered across the group’s three area vaccination centres in Limerick Racecourse, the West County Hotel, Ennis, and the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh. This brings to 192,332 the total vaccines administered in the region since the vaccination programme began on January 4th. However, the group notes the concern nationally and internationally about the Delta variant, which is 40-60% more transmissible than the Alpha strain of the virus. The European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) estimates that by the end of August, the Delta variant will account for 90% of all Covid-19 variants in the European Union. ECDC research suggests that the Delta variant will …

  THE lack of access for people with diabetes to their specialist care teams is creating additional anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a local diabetes advocate. Gráinne Flynn, who has Type One Diabetes, has expressed grave misgivings about the contents of a national HSE press release in relation to diabetes. In fact, the Ennis-based diabetes blogger admitted she was very upset by it as members of the Clare and Limerick Adults with Type One diabetes group have been expressing concerns about the adult diabetes service provided by UL Hospitals’ Group well before Covid-19 and have now been elevated to serious and extremely worrying. “This press release is completely tone deaf to the fact that it is the service that is continuously cancelling diabetes appointments since the service resumed in July. “The service seems to be operating only as face to face consultations. We can only assume that the staffing levels don’t allow for telephone consultations as many of …

UL Hospitals has become the first group in the country to produce a Major Emergency Plan. A major emergency is defined as any incident, usually with little or no warning, which overwhelms the ability of an organisation to respond. Major emergency planning is built into key public services in Ireland and inter-agency plans – involving collaboration between health authorities, local authorities and An Garda Siochana at a regional and national level – have long been in existence. Major emergency plans provide staff with roles and responsibilities in the event of the declaration of a major emergency. Individual hospitals have long had them in place but following the formation of hospital groups, it is now a requirement to deliver a plan at group level. “This document provides staff across UL Hospitals with a plan of action in the event of a major emergency being declared and is also a guide on how to implement that plan in a structured, coordinated and …

A motorist was taken to hospital late on Monday night following a single vehicle accident on the Miltown Malbay to Lahinch road. The man was taken to University of Limerick hospital where he is being treated. The N67 road was closed and a Garda investigation into the accident is continuing. Motorists travelling from Miltown Malbay have been diverted to the L2124, while motorists travelling from Lahinch are diverted to the L6236.

UL Hospitals’ Group is seeking to strengthen its relationships with patients by setting up a new patient council. The purpose of a patient council is to establish a group of people who have an interest in the hospital group to plan and advise on improving services for patients and families who use any of the six hospitals across the group. The objective is to include people from Clare, Tipperary and Limerick, who are interested in a wide range of specialities and who have experiences of different services as patients or family members. “Establishing partnerships with patients and their families is essential to improving the quality, safety and cost effectiveness of health care in the mid west region. The group value the unique experiences that patients have and we are looking for their feedback to continuously improve the services we provide”. “The idea of the patient council is to offer patients the opportunity to become involved as active partners with the …

UL Hospitals is extending its general evening visiting times from October 12 next in response to patient feedback. In University Hospital Limerick (UHL), Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital and Croom Hospital general evening visiting times will now be from 6pm to 9pm instead of 6.30pm to 8.30pm, an extension of one hour. General daytime visiting hours will remain as before, from 2pm to 4pm. UL Hospitals encourages the presence and participation of visitors as family and friends provide important emotional support to patients and are invaluable as members of the care team. To help further understand patients’ needs, UL Hospitals carried out a comprehensive survey. Results of the survey revealed that patients wanted extended visiting hours to make the hospital more accessible to their family and friends in the evening. Speaking about the extended visiting times, UL Hospitals Chief Operations Officer Noreen Spillane said, “Our patients have told us that visiting times with friends & family is the most important part …