Health funding bid to help Limerick hospital

THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick Hospital Group has submitted a funding bid to the HSE to allow it to extend the operating hours of some of its facilities for longer.

Colette Cowan, the chief executive of the University of Limerick Hospitals Group (ULHG) revealed news of the bid in reply to a question at a forum attended by local politicians in which health issues are raised.

It was Tipperary councillor Seamie Morris who asked what plans there were to increase the number of beds in three of the hospitals on its watch – at St John’s, UHL and Nenagh Hospital in his electoral area.

In a written answer, he was told that ULHG had submitted a bid to the HSE’s national acute division for €5.2m for extra resources.

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“Additional staff would allow us to extend the operating hours and open the Medical Assessment Units in Nenagh and St John’s to seven days a week, and increase the number of slots currently available to GPs, Shannondoc and National Ambulance Service paramedics,” Ms Cowan said.

Located in the urgent care centre at St John’s Hospital, its Medical Assessment Unit provides treatment for patients with stable medical conditions, referred by their GP. Unlike the emergency department, people attend by appointment.

In January, amid record overcrowding in UHL, the assessment unit at St John's Hospital was temporarily opened seven days a week.