Deferring scheduled care in the midwest due to pressures on University Hospital Limerick is “unbelievable, unnecessary and an abandonment of the people”, Irish hospital consultants have said.
Earlier this week, the UL Hospital Group announced elective inpatient and day surgery, endoscopy and outpatient appointments have been deferred until further notice at UHL, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St John’s Hospital and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital.
This was due to the “high volumes of patients” in the emergency department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick, with the measure seeking to de-escalate the UHL site, reduce wait times and improve patient flow.
The decision to de-escalate the hospital was based on a recommendation from the support team sent earlier this year to assess the hospital due to its high levels of overcrowding.
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The Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA) criticised the decision, stating it does not bode well for the region this autumn and winter, and will have severe knock-on consequences for patient health outcomes.
Colin Peirce, vice-president of the IHCA, said the decision illustrates a “complete lack of creativity and collaboration on the part of HSE leadership”.
“We have all known for years that Limerick has problems. We also know that fixing them requires a blend of immediate and medium-term decisions,” he said.
“It is clearly a challenge, but instead of meeting it creatively, HSE leadership is essentially giving up. It’s unbelievable, unnecessary, and an abandonment of the local population.”
Mr Peirce said no hospital consultant wants to tell a patient waiting for the surgery that it has been cancelled.
“Alongside hampering diagnosis, treatment and delivery of care, this will have a severe impact on already excessive waiting lists. The number of people on waiting lists is expected to reach further unacceptable levels when the NTPF data is published,” he added.
UHL is consistently under pressure and is typically the most overcrowded hospital in the State. The health safety watchdog has warned in recent years about the impact this was having on patient safety.
Earlier this year, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced a review was being conducted to ascertain whether a second ED was required in the region, due to “ongoing pressures” at UHL.
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