Overcrowding issues again leave Letterkenny hospital under strain
All available beds in Letterkenny University Hospital are in use and patients are facing 'long wait times' to be admitted while some elective procedures have been postponed
Elective procedures have again been postponed at Letterkenny University Hospital with the facility under strain from overcrowding.
On Tuesday, 173 people presented to the Emergency Department at LUH and similar numbers have been reported so far today with hospital bosses saying it is “extremely busy”.
At the latest count, there were 66 people in the ED with 18 patients awaiting admission to the hospital.
All available beds are in use and patients are facing “long wait times” to be admitted.
Three wards in the hospital are affected by Covid-19 or norovirus and visiting is limited on those wards.
“The hospital is advising that patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times,” a spokesperson for the HSE 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.
“Due to the pressures on the site and the lack of bed capacity, the hospital is postponing some elective procedures. Urgent, time sensitive cases are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed.
“As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised.”
The hospital acknowledges that these delays “are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays causes”, the spokesperson said.
LUH, they said, is committed to treating everyone who presents and added: “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.
“All 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.”