SIGNIFICANT reductions in scheduled surgery and other planned care treatments were implemented today (Wednesday) across five of six hospitals operated by the UL Hospitals Group (ULHG) due to high volumes of patients attending the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
The ULHG said that demand for emergency care was “adversely affecting wait times and patient experience” at UHL.
There were 127 people crowded into the ED and surrounding corridors and on wards on trolleys today at UHL, according to statistics published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which has regularly described conditions in the ED as dangerous for patients.
Today, a number of measures were agreed to de-escalate the UHL site, to increase bed capacity, reduce wait times and improve patient flow, following a meeting of the ULHG executive management team.
The hospital group said this had resulted in the deferral of elective inpatient and day surgery, endoscopy and outpatient appointments “until further notice” at UHL, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St John’s Hospital, and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital. Services at University Maternity Hospital Limerick were continuing as normal.
“We regret the impact this decision will have on patients waiting for surgery, appointments and investigations; and all affected patients are being contacted directly by hospital staff,” a ULHG statement read.
“These appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible. In line with our escalation plan, we are currently prioritising care for our sickest patients and we sincerely regret the significant reduction in services across our hospitals.”
The emergency department at UHL remains open 24-7 for emergency cases, and, emergency and trauma surgery was continuing. Local injury units, as well as medical assessment units, at Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s hospitals were operating as normal.
The ULHG said there were a limited number of exceptions to the deferrals in scheduled care, including:
• Time critical surgery
• Cancer services
• Dialysis
• Cardiology services
• Rapid Access Medical Unit
• Dermatology, rheumatology, infectious diseases outpatient clinics
• Bronchoscopy Rapid Access
• CF outpatients
• OPAT (outpatient therapy)
• Fracture Clinic
• Paediatric surgery and outpatient clinics
• Vascular Laboratory
• Ambulatory trauma (Croom)
The ULHG urged people to continue attending the ED at UHL “for the most serious illnesses and injuries, such as suspected heart attacks and strokes”.
“At this time of high demand for our services, anyone who has a less serious injury is going to experience delays, so we ask them to consider all healthcare alternatives to ED where appropriate, including family doctors, out of hours GP services, and local pharmacies,” it said.
Sandra Broderick, Regional Executive Officer, HSE Mid West, said that “additional surge capacity has been opened at hospitals across the region to manage the current demand for unscheduled care”.
“We understand that this is very difficult for patients who have in some cases already faced long waits for their appointments. Our staff will be working over the coming days and weeks to ensure affected patients are rescheduled as soon as possible,” Ms Broderick added.
UHL was today the most overcrowded hospital nationally.
A decision taken by the Fianna Fáil Green coalition government and based on clinical advice in 2009 to close 24-hour emergency care units at Ennis and Nenagh hospitals has exacerbated overcrowding at the Limerick hospital which caters for over 400,000 people, patient advocate groups have said.
