Hospital overcrowding causing delays for ambulances offloading patients

Just 9.3% of ambulances at University Hospital Galway are turning around within the target time of 30 minutes. Picture: Larry Cummins

Overcrowding at emergency departments is leading to ambulances waiting longer to offload patients, new figures have revealed. 

Data for the University Hospital Limerick emergency department shows just 27.3% of ambulances were ready to turn around for a new call within the target time of 30 minutes.

Other hospitals across the west of the country struggled even more, with just 9.3% of ambulances at University Hospital Galway turning around within 30 minutes. 

This hospital also provides cover to north Co Clare.

At Mayo University Hospital, only 5.9% of ambulances had a turnaround time of less than 30 minutes.

Last year, 8,345 people came by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick, while St John’s in Limerick saw 299 ambulance attendances, Nenagh 213, Ennis 351, and 14 to the orthopaedic hospital in Croom.

In response to the growing pressures, a programme to allow paramedics to treat older people at home is being put in place this summer.

Colette Cowan, chief executive of the University of Limerick Hospitals Group. 

UL Hospital Group chief executive Colette Cowan said the programme is on course to begin between July and September, with recruitment already started.

Known as the Pathfinder care model, it was pioneered by Beaumont Hospital in north Dublin to reduce the number of older people attending the hospital. 

A study, published in the Age and Ageing journal last year, said that 64% of patients were able to get care at home.

The public is also being asked to attend injury units in the smaller hospitals if their case is not an emergency.

The data shows an increase of 68% for attendance at the Nenagh unit so far this year compared and 27% at the Ennis unit.

In April 2022, Nenagh Injury Unit had its busiest month to date, and Ennis it's second busiest,” said Ms Cowan.

Despite reassurances provided by the UL Hospital Group regarding future plans, forum members have requested a meeting with hospital management.

This is now set to take place on July 19. A number of crisis points are expected to be raised, including the long waits on trolleys highlighted in the recent report on the Limerick hospital by health watchdog Hiqa.