Elective surgeries at Drogheda cancelled for four weeks

PATIENTS DUE to undergo certain elective surgeries in the next four weeks at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, will have their surgeries cancelled from Monday.

The Louth Meath Hospital Group, which includes the Drogheda hospital, sent a memo to its consultants yesterday requesting that all elective intermediate and complex surgery stop for about four weeks as it prepares to open the new emergency department at the hospital next Wednesday.

A HSE spokeswoman said the number of patients affected would be very small and no cancer or urgent cases would be cancelled.

“The postponement of cases will help manage the critical care capacity at the hospital. This is a normal action during any move to a new unit.” The spokeswoman also said there was always a reduction in elective activity in summer due to staff taking annual leave.

The memo advised that all elective non-complex work, including day-case surgery, should continue as normal. “I would also request that all consultants highlight any patients suitable for discharge as early as possible in the day through the provision of additional ward rounds where appropriate,” the memo stated.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has expressed concern. Assistant secretary general Donal Duffy said it was “exceedingly short notice” to send out a memo on Friday ordering a cancellation of certain surgeries from the following Monday. He said the request to cancel elective complex and intermediate surgery for “approximately four weeks” was also of concern as this was a long period for a patient to wait.

The cancellations come as the HSE prepares to implement contingency plans to cope with a shortage of junior doctors in the region. They will come into force on July 1st if the staff shortage is not resolved. The July 1st deadline arises as junior doctors, who change jobs every six months, will rotate jobs on that date.

The contingency plan could involve the replacement of the 24- hour emergency department service at Louth County Hospital in Dundalk with a 12-hour service. Emergency care would be centralised at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital. The establishment of a minor injuries unit at the Dundalk hospital has also been mooted.