Public urged to 'consider all available care options' with 150 patients on trolleys at UHL

MEMBERS of the public are urged to consider alternative care options before presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) at UHL, following record breaking trolley numbers.

150 people are on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick this Wednesday, according to numbers released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

This is the third time in 2024 that trolley numbers at UHL have broken records, with INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations for the Midwest and Western regions, Mary Fogarty, calling the situation "unacceptable and dangerous".

Limerick sees 'worst day for overcrowding' in any Irish hospital as 150 left on trolleys

UL Hospitals Group (ULHG) have issued a statement in response to the situation, calling on the public to "consider all available care options before presenting to the ED, as University Hospital Limerick continues to experience very high levels of activity."

"The latest available national report shows that in the first three weeks of 2024, presentations to the ED at UHL increased by 28% on last year and emergency admissions by 17%," the statement read. 

"This trend has continued in recent days with an average of 240 daily presentations over the past seven days, an increase on 219 daily presentations during 2023, our busiest year on record."

ULHG are urging the public to consider all care options, including their GPs, pharmacists and GP out of hours services before presenting at the UHL ED.

"We apologise to anyone who has had a long wait for admission to University Hospital Limerick in recent days," the statement read.

"We thank the public for their patience and support at this time of exceptionally high demand for our services."