Tag Archives: University Hospital Limerick

THE failure of the Health Service Executive (HSE) to even mention the provision of a new 96-bed block at University Hospital Limerick in its capital projects plans for 2018 has been described as “mind-boggling” by a Clare TD. Commenting on the publication of the HSE 2018 Service Plan, Deputy Timmy Dooley has expressed his disappointment with the fact there is no reference to the long-awaited new project at UHL under its capital infrastructure section. The only reference to capital projects for UHL concerns the redevelopment of the old emergency department (ED), which the plan states will be completed next year and will be fully operational by the first quarter of 2019. A UL Hospitals’ Group spokesman stated the development of the 96-bed block at UHL has been approved in principle by the HSE, subject to the normal conditions for such public works and subject to future capital funding availability. The spokesman outlined that the first stage of the process is …

  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 …

University Hospital Limerick has been experiencing a high number of patients attending the emergency department in recent days. “We have admitted a lot of seriously ill patients recently, many of who remain in the ED awaiting a bed,” said a spokesperson. We are asking people to think about all their care and treatment options and keep ED services for the patients who need them most. For example, 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. Others with a less serious illness can be treated by their GP or out of hours GP service where their GP can refer them to an Assessment Unit the following day if required. “However, if you are seriously injured or ill or are worried your life is at …

The Probation Services is recommending that a 22-year-old east Clare woman not be jailed concerning her neglect of a then five-month-old baby who suffered a catalogue of injuries including a skull fracture while in her care. At Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday, Judge Gerald Keys said that the Probation Report on the woman recommends that she be placed under the supervision of the Probation Services for a period. Judge Keys said that the Probation Service report states that in order to assess the risk of re-offending, it was necessary for the services to have contact with the woman and that TUSLA staff engage with the Probation Service to ensure the safety and well being of the baby. In the case, the mother – then aged 19 – presented to her GP on February 13, 2015 in a distressed state with the baby as her daughter’s left arm wasn’t moving and she had bruising to her face. Her GP referred the …

One man was taken to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) as a precaution following a house fire in Ennis on Sunday . Emergency services were called to the scene after 6pm on Sunday when a fire was reported at a house on the Tulla Road near the entrance to the Castlerock Housing Estate. Two units of the fire brigade, an ambulance and gardaí responded to the incident, arriving within minutes. When firemen arrived they found the house was smoke logged. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the house to check there was no one inside. They quickly located a fire in the kitchen area and brought it under control. It is understood the fire originated in the kitchen in the vicinity of the cooker. Firemen also vented the house by opening all the windows and by using positive pressure ventilated fans. This process involves using large petrol driven fans to blow fresh air into the dwelling and to get rid of any smoke. No major external damage was caused to the outside of the building. One man was treated at the scene by National Ambulance Service paramedics and was later taken to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) as a precaution. The Clare Fire and Rescue Service has categorised the incident as a relatively minor fire as there was no significant injuries or damage.   Dan Danaher  

The lack of capacity at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) came into focus this week, after it emerged there was no bed to accommodate an Ennis patient in a wheelchair. Councillor Ann Norton has confirmed that there was no bed available to accommodate her daughter, Nicole, who suffers from Cerebal Palsy and a number of other medical conditions, when she attended the new Emergency Department (ED) on Thursday last. With 51 patients on trolleys in the new €24 million state-of-the-art ED at UHL on Tuesday morning, councillors from Clare and Limerick tabled numerous related motions about overcrowding and bed capacity at UHL at a HSE West Forum meeting later that afternoon. In recent days, the UL Hospitals Group outlined that activity has been very high, with 186 attendances in the 24 hours up to midnight on Sunday, September 24; 244 attendances in the 24 hours up to midnight on Monday, September 25 and 214 attendances in the 24 hours up to …

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 …

It was a bad weekend for accidents in County Clare, in one case a precision parachute jump going astray and resulting in a fatality, and the other involving a serious car crash. The parachute jump incident occurred on Saturday at the Aill Na Searrach section of the Cliffs of Moher. Three men went to the sport to undertake a ‘base jump’, when people jump from a fixed structure or cliff wearing a parachute or wingsuit. The first man completed a safe jump but there was a tragic outcome for the second jumper whose parachute failed. The Irish Coast Guard was alerted, while an ambulance, rapid response advanced paramedic unit and gardaí responded to the scene . With good sea conditions, the Doolin Coast Guard craft was able to get close enough to the cliff base to allow three members make their way ashore. The Shannon-based rescue helicopter winched a crew member on the shore below. The man was airlifted onto …