Measures to ease overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick to remain in effect

MEASURES brought in to ease overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick will continue over the coming days. 

Following the declaration of a major internal incident by the Hospital Crisis Management Team (HCMT) on January 2, a number of extraordinary measures have been taken to reduce overcrowding, in particular in the Emergency Department.

These actions, in line with the hospital escalation plan, have included reductions in scheduled care, opening of surge capacity, admitted patients in the ED have been transferred on trolleys to inpatient wards, opening of surge bed capacity at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals, the transfer of appropriate medical patients to Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and use of private bed capacity.

Through these measures, the number of admitted patients waiting in the ED has reduced and the instances of extreme overcrowding seen at the beginning of the week have come down.  

However, the numbers waiting for an inpatient bed across the hospital group are still too high. This morning, there were 14 admitted patients on corridors within the ED and patients continue to face lengthy wait times to see a doctor, in particular patients with less urgent healthcare needs.

WATCH: Limerick people speak out about overcrowding crisis at UHL

In a statement, the UL Hospitals Group said they expect to continue to see high numbers of attendances at the ED and high numbers of admitted patients waiting for beds to continue into the coming weeks.

A meeting of the HCMT this Thursday also confirmed that hospital-wide visiting restrictions at UHL are to remain in place.

Widespread outpatient cancellations remain in effect at UHL for this Friday, January 6.

There are a number of exemptions to the outpatient cancellations. Clinics going ahead this Friday include: Cancer services, Paediatric outpatients and Acute Fracture Unit.

Appointments deemed time-critical in other specialties will also go ahead. Patients affected by cancellations are being contacted directly by staff. Patients who are not contacted by phone or by text to cancel their appointment are advised to attend.

Outpatient clinics will resume at UHL on Monday, January 9th and patients with an appointment are advised to attend.

Outpatient clinics at Ennis, Nenagh, St John's, Croom Orthopaedic and University Maternity Hospital Limerick remain unaffected this week and next with patients advised to attend.

Planned reductions in scheduled care at UHL mean that only time-critical elective surgery will take place next week.

 The statement read: "We regret that we must now delay our plan to resume day surgery in our model 2 hospitals from next week. This will result in cancellations for patients scheduled for day case procedures in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals.

"Day beds at these hospitals are being used as additional, or surge capacity, for inpatients being admitted locally or transferred from UHL. There will also be reductions in elective surgery at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital from next week.

"Some elective patients at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital will also be deferred. Affected patients at all hospitals will be contacted directly by our staff and we will rescheduled these patients as soon as possible.

"We apologise to every patient who is currently experiencing a long wait for admission at UHL and for the inconvenience and frustration this causes for patients’ loved ones."