A&E and absenteeism remain biggest problems at Limerick hospital

THE Emergency Department & and absenteeism at Limerick’s regional hospital continue to cause problems at the mid-west’s largest hospital.

That is the according to the Health Service Executive’s Healthstat survey, which has recorded some improvements in the hospital’s performance, including the wait for urgency colonoscopies.

However, the survey records a worsening situation at the emergency department (ED)&, which coincided with the first spike in attendances nationally with flu-related illnesses.

The figures for December show that 5% of those attending the ED & were waiting in excess of 24 hours to be admitted; 20% were waiting between 12 and 24 hours and a further 20% waiting six to 12 hours. The remaining 55% of patients were treated in less than six hours.

University College Hospital Galway was the worst performing hospital in the country in the survey, while the best performing were St Vincent’s and St James’s in Dublin, Letterkenny General and Cavan General.

In the ‘red,’ ‘amber’ and ‘green’ marking system, Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Limerick remains categorised as red in areas including its ED & service, absenteeism rates and budgets. However, waiting times for urgency colonoscopy has moved into the ‘green’ with 100% of patients treated within 28 days.

Over the past 18 months, the HSE has been centralising acute services in the mid-west at Limerick by ending 24hr emergency department & services and acute surgical services at Ennis and Nenagh hospitals. The HSE is continuing the process and acute medicine and cardiology services are also to move to Limerick.