More than 3,500 cancellations in two months at UL hospitals

In January, some 2,095 hospital appointments and operations were cancelled across the UL Hospitals Group, which is made up of six hospital sites in the Mid-West.

A further 1,435 cancellations were recorded in December, bringing the total to 3,530 appointments or operations being axed in two months. 

Of these, 2,127 were at University Hospital Limerick, which continues to witness "some of the highest numbers of people being treated on trolleys and awaiting admission to a hospital bed,” the analysis by the IHCA said.

The data, gathered through parliamentary queries, indicates that thousands of people are in limbo, without a rescheduled appointment.

Limerick-based consultant Dr Colin Peirce said his operating list of 10 patients planned for Tuesday at Nenagh Hospital was cancelled on Monday afternoon.

“This unfortunately has become a problem that is not unique to the winter months. We are now essentially in April and have ongoing cancellations,” he said.

The patients are getting a call saying ‘sorry, the operation is off tomorrow'. For us, it is frustrating, but an operation isn’t just what happens on that day. Patients have generally reorganised their whole week, or if it is a major operation they have reorganised a couple of months for recovery. 

“It’s a very dangerous cycle that we are in here.” 

Dr Peirce stressed this is not happening solely because of the emergency department, but is a consequence of general staff shortages. 

Local consultants estimate an additional 100 beds and support staff are needed as an immediate priority, with at least 400 extra inpatient and day-case beds over a number of years.

“This is the worst year it’s been for surgery in my time, and I’ve been here seven years,” said Dr Peirce. 

He estimated, among the cancellations, up to 900 surgeries were cancelled this year based on data shared with staff internally this month.

Senator Maria Byrne said the crisis is “soul-destroying” for patients and staff. 

“There are an awful lot of positive things happening in the hospital, but unfortunately there seems to be a problem in A&E," she said. 

"That leads to cancellations of procedures. There is a knock-on effect.” 

HSE CEO Bernard Gloster will visit the MidWest in the coming weeks, a spokeswoman said. She pointed to new national management arrangements which take effect on Tuesday, including for hospital and community officials.

“The CEO is in regular contact with the minister, secretary general and department [of health] officials on all of these matters,” she said.

A UHL spokesman said the hospital continues to see record numbers of patients.

Between March 1 and 27, the emergency department saw a daily average of 224 patients. The highest was 278, one of four days when the figure reached over 270.