AROUND-THE-clock emergency services at Louth County Hospital in Dundalk will end today.
The HSE announced yesterday that the emergency department would close overnight tonight and would be replaced by a minor injuries unit from 9am tomorrow.
Patients in the area who are injured in road crashes or falls, who have chest pain, abdominal pain, back injuries or pregnancy-related conditions, will have to travel to the emergency department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for treatment.
The reconfiguration of these services was planned for a number of years but have been accelerated due to difficulties in recruiting sufficient junior doctors to work at both Louth hospitals.
“The HSE has been engaged in a comprehensive international recruitment campaign over the last number of months . . . however at the current time it has not been possible to fill all vacant posts in Louth,” the HSE said. “As such, these new arrangements are being put in place to ensure that patient safety and services are maintained.”
While Louth-Meath is understood to be the area worst affected by the shortage of junior doctors, it is not the only region affected.
Earlier this month there were nearly 300 junior doctor posts vacant at hospitals across the State and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association has predicted that number could double on July 1st when junior doctors changed jobs.
The HSE has refused to say what services at other hospitals will be affected. It would only say yesterday that contingency plans are being prepared in every region to cope with the expected shortfall. While details of the contingency plan for Louth-Meath, which were published in The Irish Timeslast month, said the establishment of the minor injuries unit in Dundalk "must be supported by an extensive public communications programme to reduce the occurrences of seriously ill or injured patients inappropriately presenting to Louth County Hospital", the HSE's decision gives one day's notice to the public.
The minor injuries unit will be open from 9am and 8pm seven days a week. It will treat adults and children aged 14 years and over who present with non-emergency conditions.
Ambulance services have been enhanced to bring patients who would otherwise go to Dundalk to Drogheda or Cavan hospitals.