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21 Oct 2025

Limerick hospital bosses warn long wait is 'inevitable' for non-urgent treatment

Limerick hospital bosses warn long wait is 'inevitable' for non-urgent treatment

A total of 246 people presented to the Emergency Department in Dooradoyle yesterday

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick bosses (UHL) have warned that long waits in the Emergency Department (ED) are "inevitable" for non-urgent care.

It comes amid a spike in patient numbers presenting in Dooradoyle, and the public are as a result being asked to consider all available healthcare options to avoid the need to attend the ED.

Some 246 patients sought help at the ED yesterday. This coupled with a busy weekend in general with very sick inpatients has forced the UL Hospitals Group (ULHG) to cancel its day surgery at Ennis Hospital today.

Elective activity at the group's other sites goes on, with management keeping the situation under review on a day to day basis.

Meanwhile, medical teams are also undertaking additional ward rounds to identify patients suitable for transfer to Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals where minor injuries units are located.

In a statement, the health service confirmed: "Anyone presenting to ED today with a less urgent condition is going to face a long wait for care. We urge the public to consider all available healthcare alternatives to ED."

"Less acutely unwell patients are asked to first consider our Injury Units, GPs, out-of-hours GP services and pharmacists before attending ED," the hospital said.

Injury Units at St John’s in the city centre, Ennis and Nenagh are operating as normal.

Opening hours for Ennis and Nenagh Injury Units are 8am -8pm while St John’s Injury Unit operates between 8am and 7pm.

The hospital apologised for the "inconvenience and frustration" caused by the long wait times.

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