Patients asked to avoid Cork University Hospital A&E if 'needs are not urgent'

On Friday CUH recorded 41 people on trolleys within its emergency department, its highest figures in a fortnight.

Cork University Hospital has called on the public to first engage with primary community care “if their needs are not urgent” due to its Emergency Department being “exceptionally busy”.

In a statement this morning the hospital said that the heightened activity in its ED meant that “some patients may experience a delay” at present, a situation it said is “regrettable”.

“The increase in attendance is due to the large number of very ill medical patients requiring admission,” it said.

The hospital’s management called on locals to “where appropriate” contact their local GP or out of hours service SouthDoc in the first instance, and to “explore all other options available to them” before attending the ED.

“Patient care is paramount in CUH and this situation is being treated as a priority by Hospital Management who have taken steps to address this issue,” the hospital said.

On Friday CUH recorded 41 people on trolleys within its emergency department, its highest figures in a fortnight.