UL Hospitals Group says ‘sickest’ Limerick emergency department patients are ‘priority’

THE UL Hospitals Group has moved to reassure the public that the “sickest patients are seen as priority” at University Hospital Limerick’s emergency department, as it faces another day of strike action this Thursday. 

While injury units at St John’s, Nenagh and Ennis have reopened following Tuesday’s 24 hours of strike action, they will be closed as a result of the nationwide dispute on Thursday. 

There will be significant disruption to a wide range of healthcare services in the Mid-West, from Thursday 8am to Friday 8am, and that updates will be made via social and local media. 

“All planned daycase and inpatient surgical procedures have been cancelled for tomorrow (7th February). The vast majority of outpatient appointments have been cancelled, however a small number of clinics will go ahead tomorrow and those patients are being contacted directly.

UL Hospitals continues to work with the INMO to secure the safest possible level of nursing and midwifery cover in our hospitals during the period of the strike and contingency arrangements are being finalised. We will re-schedule any appointments or procedures that have been cancelled due to strike action this week as soon as possible.”

According to the INMO’s daily trolley figures, there were 50 patients on trolleys at the emergency department and in the wards at UHL this Wednesday morning. 

“High numbers of presentations are expected at the Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick today, 6th of February, and patients attending the ED can expect to experience extended waits in many cases.  We apologise for this and regret that patients have to wait but we wish to reassure patients and families that we are working to ensure that the sickest patients are seen as a priority.”

“We are asking members of the public to please consider all their care options before presenting to the ED at UHL.  Members of the public 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 if required.  However, if you are seriously injured or ill or are worried your life is at risk the ED will assess and treat you as a priority.”