More outpatient appointments cancelled at University Hospital Limerick

MOST OUTPATIENT appointments at University Hospital Limerick have been cancelled for the rest of the week. 

A statement released by the UL Hospitals Group on Wednesday said that the hospital is prioritising care for patients attending the Emergency Department. 

Hospital wide visiting restrictions are also in place following an unprecedented level of ED attendance driven by a surge in patients with respiratory infections, including Covid-19, flu and RSV.

There are a number of exemptions to the outpatient cancellations. Clinics going ahead this Thursday and Friday, January 5 and 6, include: Cancer services (oncology and haematology day ward; haematology and oncology outpatient clinics; medical oncology clinics; rapid access clinics for breast, lung and prostate), Dialysis, Paediatric outpatients and Acute Fracture Unit.

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Appointments deemed time-critical in other specialties will also go ahead. Patients affected by cancellations are being contacted directly by staff. Patients who are not contacted by phone or by text to cancel their appointment are advised to attend.

Other hospitals are unaffected by these cancellations. Patients with an appointment for an outpatient clinic at Ennis, Nenagh, St John's, Croom Orthopaedic and University Maternity Hospital Limerick are advised to attend.

UHL warned that anyone attending the ED with a less urgent condition will face an exceptionally long wait for care. .

Less acutely unwell patients are asked to first consider Injury Units, GPs, out-of-hours GP services and pharmacists before attending ED. 

Injury Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s are operating as normal. Opening hours for Ennis and Nenagh Injury Units are 8am -8pm and St John’s Injury Unit 8am-7pm.