University Hospital Limerick's A&E treats 270 patients in single day
University Hospital Limerick's emergency department saw 270 people last Monday, 248 people on Tuesday, and 235 patients on Wednesday. Picture: Dan Linehan
The number of people seeking emergency treatment at University Hospital Limerick rose to 270 on a single day last week, chief executive Colette Cowan said, as she warned this was “far in excess” of pre-pandemic numbers.
The news comes against a backdrop of an ongoing overcrowding crisis in all hospitals, with more than 700 patients waiting for a bed today across the country.
University Hospital Limerick's emergency department saw 270 people last Monday, 248 people on Tuesday, and 235 patients on Wednesday.
In an update for Mid-West politicians, Ms Cowan said: “These numbers are far in excess of pre-pandemic daily average attendances [195 in 2019], and come at a time when all hospitals in the group, not just UHL, are caring for high numbers of inpatients, many of whom are very sick with complex conditions.”
The hospitals are working with HSE Mid-West Community Healthcare to discharge patients when appropriate into nursing homes or respite beds, she said.
However, despite this and other measures, she said there was some cancellation of “less urgent day cases” in Ennis and other sites.
“This tension between scheduled and unscheduled care is exacerbated by the shortage of bed capacity in the region and further highlights the importance of developing a surgical hub as soon as possible,” she urged.
Patients in the Midwest continue to face long delays getting a hospital bed, with separate figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation showing 90 people waiting on trolleys today.
Among other seriously affected hospitals are Cork University Hospital with 72 patients waiting for a bed, and St James’s Hospital in Dublin with 53 patients waiting.
INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said the figures reflect “yet another busy weekend across all hospital sites”.
“We have seen a pattern of extremely high levels of overcrowding following weekends, this cannot continue,” she said.
“The INMO is now requesting that the HSE immediately carry out a full review of weekend activity across all hospital sites and in the community sector.”
She said these pressures were not sustainable for nurses and midwives.
Separately, a ballot of coronary care unit nurses for potential industrial action in Cork University Hospital (CUH) continues this week.
This is linked to “significant” concerns around staff shortages in this unit, the INMO said.
The unit is running with the equivalent of 17.4 full-time staff, when they should have 24.5, according to assistant director of industrial relations Colm Porter.
“That is the level you would need to provide safe care,” he said.
“It is down quite a bit at the minute. That unit provides care for the more acutely unwell coronary patients, patients with heart failure or significant heart attacks.”
These nurses have a specialised skill-set, and it is not possible to transfer general nurses in without training.
“The unit is really surviving on the goodwill of the staff at the minute, they are working extra hours and doing overtime,” he said.
“This obviously leads to burnout for them. Some of them are considering leaving to find an easier life elsewhere.”
He added: “We remain open to discussion about this matter at any stage.”
CUH was contacted for comment.
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