University Hospital Limerick declares ‘major internal incident’

Management at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), have declared a “major internal incident” due to “record high” attendances at its emergency department.

A UHL spokeswoman said patients attending the ED with non emergency care needs would face “lengthy delays”.

“The unprecedented level of ED attendance is driven by a surge in patients with respiratory infections, including Covid-19, flu and RSV,” said the spokeswoman.

“Extra staff including nurses and doctors have been asked to present to the hospital for duty,” the spokeswoman said.

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“Staff are being redeployed to care for additional patients in the ED, and additional surge beds are being opened in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospitals.”

Day beds at UHL are also being “converted” to inpatient beds and there is a renewed “focus on discharging patients to home and the community”.

Further emergency action includes “converting a ward in Croom Hospital for medical patients”.

All outpatient appointments at UHL, scheduled for Tuesday, have been cancelled and “only urgent elective surgery is going ahead in UHL over the coming days”, said the spokeswoman.

“Anyone presenting to ED today with a less urgent condition is going to face an exceptionally long wait for care. We urge the public to consider all available healthcare alternatives to ED,” she said.

Earlier, the Mater hospital in Dublin asked the public to avoid its emergency department due to high numbers of patients attending.

The hospital says its services are under extreme pressure and patients turning up at the ED with non-urgent conditions are experiencing lengthy waiting times.

“Where possible, the Mater advises patients with non-emergency conditions to seek assistance from other parts of the health service such as minor injury units or their GP,” a spokeswoman said.

“However, any patient who is in need of emergency hospital care will of course be seen and the Mater would urge such patients not to delay and to seek such care.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this causes to the public and thank them for their understanding and co-operation.”