Tag Archives: University Hospital Limerick

The number of patients on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has jumped almost tenfold from 2,422 in 2009 when casualty cover was removed from three hospitals to 21,445 in 2023, according to new figures produced by a local lobby group. Following the cancellation of surgery at UHL in recent weeks, the number of patients on trolleys fell from more than a 100 to 48 on August 29 before climbing back up to 78 on Wednesday. The Health Information and Quality Authority is compiling a report examining the need for a second emergency department in the Mid-West, which it says will not be published until the summer of 2025. A new document prepared by the Friends of Ennis Hospital, which has been submitted to HIQA presents a case for the upgrading of Ennis Hospital This document, prepared by Friends of Ennis Hospital, lays out the case for the upgrading of Ennis Hospital to a Model 3, which would allow for …

  Communities in South-East Clare have been rocked by the tragic death of a seven year-old boy following an incident at a swimming pool in Ballina, Killaloe on Saturday. Extending his sympathy to the family, An Taoiseach Simon Harris described the death of Shay Lynch, Shannonview, Ardnataggle, O’Brien’s Bridge as “absolutely heartbreaking”. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mr Harris stated: “I know people right across Ireland are keeping this family and the community of Clonlara in Clare in their thoughts and prayers at such a sad and difficult time”. Clonlara National School has implemented its Critical Incident Management Plan. The school is liaising with the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to ensure support structures are in place to help our school community cope with this tragedy. Funeral arrangements for Shay James Lynch have been announced following what has been described in his death notice as “tragic accident”. Shay was predeceased by his grandmother, Christina. He is …

CLARE patients who are concerned about persistent high levels of overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) have been urged to support another protest – “Drive To Save Lives” this Saturday. Hot on the heels of a demonstration outside UHL coinciding with the visit of Health Minister Stephen Donnelly (FF) on Thursday, the Mid-West Hospital Campaign has organised a vehicle convoy to drive home the message that one Emergency Department (ED) is not enough for the region. This latest protest marks 15 years since the controversial removal of 24-hour casualty cover from Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s Hospital on April 6, 2009. There will be a convoy leaving Ennis at 11am. Clare Marts complex has allowed participants to gather in their car park from 10.45am. The vehicle convoy will leave Ennis and travel the old road via Clarecastle and Newmarket on Fergus to Limerick City. It will converge with the Limerick and Tipperary convoys at the main assembly point near St …

THE surgical team in Ennis Hospital turned up for work on Wednesday to discover without warning day surgery was cancelled two days after overcrowding reached a new record of 130 patients on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). That was the disputed claim made by Deputy Michael McNamara who has also revealed he stopped the transfer of his relative to UHL for medical treatment because she was afraid to go there and was treated elsewhere. However, the UL Hospitals’ Group has stated the decision to postpone elective surgeries in Ennis on Wednesday was communicated to all the Ennis-based theatre staff yesterday evening. The group acknowledged regrettably, the decision was not communicated to one member of the surgical team, who attended, and this matter is being rectified. A number of elective surgeries at Ennis Hospital and other UL Hospitals’ Group sites were postponed today on Wednesday as the group continued to manage a significant level of demand for emergency care as …

COUNCILLOR Ann Norton still feels sick in her stomach seven years after recalling a “horrendous” experience in University Hospital Limerick when a Do Not Attempt Resuscitation (DNAR) was allegedly placed on her daughter’s medical file without their consent. While Nicole Norton (25), who is a wheelchair user with Cerebral Palsy, is still very distressed over this incident, she felt strongly this had to be challenged to ensure no other vulnerable patient or family will experience what she and her mother went through in UHL back in April 2016. A hospital consultant appeared before a medical inquiry over his direction that Nicole Norton did not have the capacity to decide herself if she should be resuscitated in the event of a cardiac arrest. Dr Hassan Zaid was accused of poor professional performance at Irish Medical Council’s (IMC) fitness-to-practise committee following two separate complaints submitted by Ann and Nicole within weeks of this “distressing” incident. Following a screening process, the IMC decided …

Non-critical patients can now be transferred directly by ambulance to the Medical Assessment Unit in Ennis Hospital as part of a new pilot project to ease chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. Paramedics were left with no option but to transport all Clare patients directly to UHL via ambulance following the controversial removal of 24-hour casualty cover from Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals in April 2009. The Mid-West Hospital Campaign has been informed this new emergency pathway will be accessible from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. The patient must meet agreed clinical criteria and has to be accepted by the MAU physician in Ennis Hospital. The Mid-West Hospital Campaign has welcomed this announcement as a “stepping stone in the right direction” towards its desired objective concerning the return of around the clock emergency cover at Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals. A spokesperson thanked all the people involved in the Friends of Ennis Hospital, “Nenagh …

WORK has commenced on delivering the new €90 million 96-Bed Block at University Hospital Limerick, which will result in a net increase of 48 new in-patient beds. However, the UL Hospitals’ Group has confirmed this new extension will take at least two years to complete and the new facility will then have to be equipped and commissioned before opening to patients. Described by the group as the next step in increasing acute bed capacity in the Mid-West, the new 9,800 square-metre block will be built over the existing Emergency Department and Dialysis Unit and will consist of 96 en-suite single rooms over four floors. Approximately half of the beds will be new beds for inpatients while the remainder will be replacement beds allowing the hospital to close or refurbish some of the more outdated inpatient accommodation on the site. This will allow for greater compliance with national guidelines and international best practice on infection prevention and control. Speaking in Limerick …

INVESTMENT totalling €3.97 million for health facilities in Clare has been included in the 2022 Health Service Executive’s Capital Plan. The funding boost includes €1.7 million for Bushy Park residential addiction treatment centre to replace their existing facility and build a brand-new complex with individual accommodation for patients. In Ennis Hospital, €0.5 million is being spent on equipping the new outpatient department. This funding will also provide for an x-ray room and other diagnostic equipment. A sum of €0.3 million will be allocated to progress the development of two new operating theatres and €0.7 million will be spent on the continued development of the hospital campus to include the fit out of vacated areas in the existing building to create a Local Injuries Unit. In East Clare, €0.35 million is being allocated to refurbish an area of Raheen Community Hospital comprising of 25 beds and in St. Joseph’s Community Nursing Unit in Ennis, €1.05m is being spent on a new …