HEALTH services in Limerick and across the HSE Mid West have largely resumed operating as normal after a number of days of disruptions on account of the harsh cold snap which hit the country last weekend.
Patients and service users in both hospital and community settings are being asked to attend appointments unless they are contacted and told not to, according to an update from the HSE.
Where hazardous conditions remain in local areas, patients are being asked not to travel to their appointments where it is unsafe for them to do so.
“Service users can contact their service and a new appointment will be arranged for them as soon as possible. Some local disruptions to community nursing, home support, and other community services may also be experienced in the coming days as we return to normal levels of service,” a HSE spokesperson said.
Dr Catherine Peters, regional clinical director at HSE Mid West, said that the health services expects to see “an increase in demand for health services over the coming days”.
“This comes at a time when our acute hospitals are already seeing an increase in trauma cases associated with the winter conditions as well as a surge in influenza, with almost one in every 10 inpatient beds in UHL currently occupied by flu patients.
“We are grateful to the Defence Forces and to all of the voluntary agencies who assisted with transporting staff and in ensuring patients continued to access time-critical appointments, including dialysis and cancer treatments, during the worst of the weather conditions.
“As we return to normal, we are appealing to members of the public to choose the right care option and ensure that the emergency department (ED) is kept for the most seriously injured or unwell patients who need it most. For medical emergencies, please attend the ED,” Dr Peters said.
Anyone who feels unwell is asked to consider all available healthcare options, including local pharmacies, GP, or the out-of-hours GP service.
Many GP practices in the Mid West are offering extended opening hours.
Injury Units are open in Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s hospitals from 8am to 8pm every day to treat broken bones, dislocations, sprains, strains, wounds, scalds, and minor burns.
Medical Assessment Units (MAU) located in Ennis and Nenagh have recently expanded their operations to 16 hours a day, 8am to 12 midnight, seven days a week. They provide a direct referral pathway for GPs to secure prompt assessment and treatment of medical patients.
Patients who attend our Injury Units and MAUs have considerably shorter turnaround times compared to patients who attend the UHL ED – which remains open 24-7 for patients with the most serious illnesses and injuries, including life-threatening emergencies.
Anyone attending the ED with a less urgent condition may face long waiting times as the hospital continues to manage high attendances.
The HSE spokesperson said that with flu continuing to circulate at high levels, face masks are now mandatory in UHL.
“Everyone attending or visiting UHL is asked to wear a face mask for the duration of their stay and these are widely available throughout the hospital,” they said.
“In all other acute hospitals in our region (Ennis, Nenagh, St John’s, and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital) and all residential facilities, we are urging visitors to please wear a face mask to protect themselves, our patients and staff from the risk of infection. Please be vigilant and wash your hands and use hand gel regularly.”
