SINN Féin councillor and Health Forum member Malachy McCreesh has urged University Limerick Hospital Group (ULHG) to expedite the re-opening of 20 beds currently closed in St John’s Hospital Limerick.
The City West representative was responding to the reply received at the September meeting of the Regional Health Forum to his question asking if there were any beds currently closed across the UL Group of hospitals.
“Despite the acknowledgement from ULHG that lack of inpatient beds is contributing to the on-going trolley crisis at University Hospital Limerick, it is very disappointing to learn that 20 beds are still closed in St John’s Hospital,” Cllr McCreesh commented.
“These beds have been unavailable since early summer 2016. It is essential that the required staff are recruited urgently in order to have these beds available to relieve pressure on the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick.”
Cllr McCreesh went on to describe the recent opening of 17 medical short stay beds in the old ED in UHL and the planned opening of 16 new beds at Nenagh Hospital by year end as a welcome development.
“Lack of inpatient beds is having a detrimental effect on the running of UHL elective procedures are postponed if necessary to free up bed capacity for admitted patients. Every available bed should be used so every effort must be made to get the 20 beds on stream immediately,” he concluded.
by Alan Jacques
