In anticipation of the proposed strike action by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), UL Hospitals Group confirms there will be significant disruption and cancellation of routine services across all of its hospitals on Wednesday, January 30.
UL Hospitals continues to work with the INMO to secure the safest possible level of nursing and midwifery cover in our hospitals during the period of the strike and contingency arrangements are being finalised.
All outpatient clinics have been cancelled. The vast majority of elective procedures have been cancelled. However, a small number of elective surgeries will take place at UHL. These are complex cases where surgery is time-critical and these patients are being contacted directly by the hospital.
Where cancellations are taking place, the relevant hospitals are making every effort to contact those patients affected.
Updates will be provided through local and social media.
Services not available at UL Hospitals Group on the day of the strike (Wednesday, 30th January):
· Injury units will not operate
· Planned inpatient surgery is cancelled. Inpatient is when you need to stay in hospital for one night or more.
· Planned day case procedures are cancelled. Day case is when you are given a hospital bed or a trolley but will not stay overnight.
· All outpatient appointments are cancelled. This includes adult, maternity and paediatric appointments. Outpatient is when you go to hospital for an appointment but don’t stay overnight.
· If a pregnant woman needs urgent assessment due to the cancellation of an appointment, she should go to the emergency admission room at University Maternity Hospital Limerick
Services that are operating UL Hospitals Group on the day of the strike:
· Emergency Department at UHL (adult and children). Please only attend our emergency services if absolutely essential
· Maternity services (Delivery suites, home births, special care baby units, neonatal)
· Colposcopy services
· Oncology services (chemotherapy and radiotherapy)
· Dialysis
· Planned obstetric procedures (based on clinical need)
· Palliative care
UL Hospitals Group expects that the ED will be busy and is reminding members of the public to consider all their care options before presenting to the Emergency Department at UHL. Members of the public with a less serious illness can be treated by their GP or out of hours GP service where their GP can refer them to an Assessment Unit if required.
However, if you are seriously injured or ill or are worried your life is at risk the ED will assess and treat you as a priority.
UL Hospitals Group sites include: University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St John’s Hospital and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital
