Letterkenny emergency unit to accept walk-in patients tomorrow

70 per cent of hospital footprint was flooded following torrential rain three weeks ago

The interim Emergency Department at Letterkenny General Hospital will finally begin to accept walk-in patients from tomorrow at noon.

HSE West has confirmed there has been a successful implementation of a phased-in strategy to cope with a return to normal services at the hospital.

The hospital is still battling to return to some sort of normality after 70 per cent of its footprint was flooded following torrential rain three weeks ago.

The facility reopened to ambulance admissions on a phased basis on Saturday.

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The area covered by ambulance admissions was increased yesterday and referrals from Letterkenny and Inishowen were also accepted.

The hospital is continuing to increase access today and has moved into Phase 3 of the reopening.

The interim Emergency Department is now open to all ambulance and GP admissions covering the North and West of Donegal (north of the Barnsmore Gap).

It is anticipated the emergency department will be open to self-presenting patients from noon tomorrow and this will restore the emergency department to walk in patients.

Until that time, for any emergency requiring an ambulance please dial 112 or 999 as normal. Non-emergency patients should continue to contact their GP in the first instance and should not attend Altnagelvin Hospital.

Seán Murphy, Hospital Manager said, “The re-opening of the Emergency Department on a phased basis is essential so that we can deliver the services in a safe and tested way.

“The weekend opening to ambulances and some GP referrals was a success and we are continuing to extend the areas for which we can accept ambulance and GP referrals over the next 24 hours.

“The ability to accept walk-in patients from tomorrow, Tuesday 20th August 2013, will be a further milestone towards the resumption of full services. We will also be reviewing tomorrow the timetable for increasing our catchment to South Donegal.