Surgeries cancelled amid patient surge at Limerick hospital

As University Hospital Limerick went on red alert yesterday with another spike in emergency eepartment (ED) trolley patients, all non-urgent elective surgery was cancelled.

Surgical procedures scheduled for coming days are being reviewed. In a move to free up beds as 55 trolley-patients crammed ED, some were transferred to St John’s Hospital, as well as Nenagh and Ennis.

An assistant director of community care was also assigned yesterday to get some patients into community care facilities.

A spokeswoman for UHL said: “ Amongst the factors contributing to the increase in pressure within the ED is the older age profile of patients presenting, along with the complexity of issues they have. The hospital has also had a small number of cases of the norovirus [winter vomiting bug].”

Extra rounds by hospital consultants were also put in place to identify patients who could be discharged.

The spokeswoman said: “Staff across the group are working very hard to ensure the optimum care and safety of all our patients during this exceptionally busy period. The hospital has asked that only emergency patients come to UHL and people should contact their GP.”

By midafternoon, up to 11 patients had been transferred. No private ambulances were used.

A spokeswoman for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said what occurred at UHL was entirely predictable, with many patients presenting with conditions related to winter. She said means of caring for patients in the community and in their homes need to be fast-tracked.

She said more nurses also need to be recruited so beds now closed can be opened.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams accused the Government of taking an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ view of the problems in the health service. “Minister for Health Leo Varadkar says that the Government’s response ‘hasn’t been enough’,” said Mr Adams.

“The minister is a master of understatement. But the issues remain — patients on trolleys, citizens without homecare packages, elective surgeries cancelled.

“Meanwhile, last year the Government paid €7.5bn in debt interest, including private banking debt. There is a clear link between the hospital overcrowding crisis and the pursuit of such wasteful and unjust austerity policies.”

Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted the Government was pushing through changes intended to tackle the problem of patients on trolleys.