Hospital crisis latest: Day surgery at Nenagh Hospital to be cancelled for rest of week

Significant reductions in scheduled care are to remain in force across UL Hospitals Group, including Nenagh Hospital, this week as the major internal incident declared on January 2 is stood down.

Extraordinary measures taken across the group and in the community have helped reduced the extreme levels of overcrowding seen early last week at the Emergency Department at UHL, according to a spokesperson for the group.

However, all hospitals are operating above capacity and staff remain on high alert amid a surge of respiratory infection in the community that has not yet reached its peak, 

The Hospital Crisis Management Team continues to meet twice daily seven days a week. However, the major internal incident was stood down by UL Hospitals Group CEO Prof Colette Cowan on Monday, January 9.

Day surgery at Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals remains cancelled until the end of this week as the day wards in these hospitals have been designated as surge capacity for unwell medical patients.

Reductions in elective surgery at UHL and at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital remain in force. All patients affected by cancellations are being contacted directly by staff.

Outpatient appointments are going ahead as scheduled on all sites this week and patients are advised to attend.

Croom Orthopaedic Hospital continues to accept medical patients transferring for UHL as well as additional patients for trauma surgery.

As a temporary measure, medical assessment units at St John’s and Nenagh hospitals have moved from a five to a seven-day week to allow for additional GP referrals for medical assessment. Ennis Hospital MAU already operates seven days per week.

Members of the public are reminded that patients cannot be seen at our MAUs without a referral.

Additional discharges / transfers from acute hospitals were achieved in the region over the weekend thanks to many additional acute and community staff who have answered the call to move to an enhanced seven-day working model for the duration of this crisis.

Visiting restrictions remain in place at University Hospital Limerick, said the spokesperson.