UNPRECEDENTED numbers of patients are presenting at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) this week.
On Tuesday night, UL Hospitals Group confirmed that more than 350 people attended the emergency department at UHL in the past twenty four hours.
Friends of Ennis Hospital described the figures as “unprecedented attendances” and flagged that flu season has yet to peak.
Half of the figure of 350 presented to the ED without a referral from their GP.
In a statement, UL Hospitals Group appealed to the people of the Mid-West to first use the available alternatives where possible, including local pharmacies and family doctors, as well as walk-in Injury Units and GP-referral Medical Assessment Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospital for non-life-threatening conditions and injuries.
“The Emergency Department is for patients with life-threatening emergencies. Anyone with less urgent illnesses is going to experience a long wait, perhaps unnecessarily, and should follow the advice above where possible. We apologise to every patient who has experienced long waits for a bed in UHL. Our staff are doing everything to provide the best possible care. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as necessary. At this time of exceptionally high demand for hospital services, we ask the public to continue supporting us, to ensure emergency care is prioritised for the sickest, most seriously injured and frailest patients,” the statement outlined.
Shannondoc continues to operate from 6pm to 8am across Monday to Friday with a 24 hour service for Saturday and Sunday. Shannondoc can be contacted on 0818 123 500. If you need urgent care, but don’t require ED attendance, GPs can refer you to a Medical Assessment Unit in Ennis, Nenagh or St John’s Hospitals.
Injury Units are a walk-in service, open 8am to 8pm at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s Hospital. They can treat a range of injuries that don’t need hospitalisation, such as broken bones, dislocations, and minor burns. There is a typical patient experience time of around two hours. For advice, contact, Ennis Injury Unit – 065 686 312.
