Letterkenny Hospital ‘extremely busy’ with long emergency department wait times

Letterkenny University Hospital is once again at capacity with the public advised of long wait times in the emergency department.

The emergency department is said to be “extremely busy” with high numbers of people attending who need to be admitted to hospital for ongoing treatment.

As of early on Thursday afternoon, there were 67 presentations to the emergency department with eight patients on trolleys awaiting admission to an inpatient bed.

On Wednesday, 163 people attended at the ED.

The hospital is advising that patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times.

All available beds in the hospital are in use. Patients are facing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department to a bed on a ward.

A HSE spokesperson said: “Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity.

“As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised.”

The spokesperson said that the hospital acknowledges that these delays are “very difficult” for patients and their families and have apologised for the distress and inconvenience.

The statement said: “We continue to request that people only attend the Emergency Department at the hospital if it is an emergency situation.

“We ask that people attend their GP or out of hours service in the first instance if at all possible.”

The statement says that visitors to the hospital will be required to practice good hand hygiene and use hand gel regularly, face masks are available for use throughout the hospital.

People should check the HSE website for useful advice on common illnesses such as colds, coughs, flu, earache and sore throats and keeping well.