A “significant number of staff” at Ennis Hospital and University Hospital Limerick are currently off work and self-isolating following recent outbreaks of COVID-19 while a spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group has refused to specify on how many people are affected.
All routine outpatient appointments and the majority of elective procedures have been cancelled at both UHL and Ennis Hospital on Thursday and Friday as the hospitals manage their response to the virus.
Patients whose procedure or appointment is affected by the cancellations are being contacted directly by the hospital in advance. Affected patients will be rescheduled at the earliest opportunity.
One spokesperson told The Clare Echo “significant numbers of staff” are self-isolating and out of work having either tested positive for COVID-19 or been designated as a close contact. “We have experienced considerable staffing challenges in recent days and just under 50 patients had their procedures cancelled this Monday, November 9th”.
“The volume of staff currently self-isolating having come into contact with Covid-19 is now such that we are curtailing scheduled care to concentrate resources on emergency presentations and on inpatients. This will also serve to reduce footfall in our hospitals in the coming days,” Prof Brian Lenehan, Chief Clinical Director, UL Hospitals Group stated.
CEO of UL Hospitals Group, Colette Cowan confirmed that the emergency department at UHL remains open for members of the public.
