Go to University Hospital Limerick ‘as last resort’, says minister
Waiting University Number On Were Picture: At On There Hospital A Thursday, Limerick Patients 126 Gleeson Brendan Trolleys Record
People in the Mid-West region should only attend University Hospital Limerick as a “last resort” as record numbers of people lying on trollies has been recorded, a government minister has said.
Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State at the Department of Children, said the public should consider other options in the region.
It's after the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) revealed there were 126 patients waiting on trolleys at the facility on Thursday, a record number. The nursing union wants an emergency plan activated to deal with overcrowding at the hospital.
At its peak on Thursday, there were 65 patients on trolleys in the emergency department and a further 61 on wards elsewhere in the hospital - far exceeding the next highest total of 40 at St Luke's in Kilkenny and far in excess of any of the main Dublin emergency hospitals, the highest of which is 19 patients waiting at St James'.
While the figures dropped back a bit on Friday, the issue at Limerick remains “acute” and “challenging”.
Speaking about the impact such high numbers are having on the hospital’s capacity to treat patients, Ms Rabbitte called on those living in its catchment area to stay away if possible.
She said: “If you're living in the Midwest region, please access Ennis, please try and work through your local GPs before going to the hospital as your first resort.”
She said going to the hospital should “be your last resort because we need to keep it as clear as possible for the acute cases that need to come in with the ambulances”.
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations, Mary Fogarty said the fact there are a record number of patients on trolleys at UHL on April 21, means that the bed management system is completely broken.
“The INMO has been sounding the alarm on issues within UHL for years. We need to see the emergency plan activated for the hospital this morning and a public announcement of same,” she added.
“Hospital management need to urgently stop admitting patients for elective care as there are no beds in the hospital. The system is completely congested."