Public advised to expect long waiting times in Mayo University Hospital

Mayo University Hospital has advised members of the public to expect long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department with 41 patients waiting for a bed this afternoon.

In a statement issued by the management of Mayo University Hospital on Wednesday morning, they advised the public that the Emergency Department is extremely busy with high numbers of people attending the department who need to be admitted to hospital for ongoing treatment.

“Patients are facing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department to a bed on a ward and for this we apologise.

“Due to these ongoing pressures, we are reviewing elective surgeries, some of which have been deferred. Urgent and time-sensitive procedures are being prioritised.“The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause,” the statement read.

The INMO Trolley Watch figures for Wednesday morning showed that there were 41 patients waiting for a bed, an increase of eight patients in 24 hours. Of the 41 patients, 23 were waiting for a bed in the Emergency Department while 18 were in Wards and elsewhere in the hospital.

Nationally, there were 824 patients waiting on trolleys which prompted the INMO to call for an immediate response from the HSE to address the dangerous levels of overcrowding in our emergency departments.

The INMO said the HSE cannot continue to operate on a ‘keep calm and carry on’ basis while patients and staff are exposed to unacceptable risks.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Given the level of overcrowding we have seen in our emergency departments throughout this year, the HSE must have a plan to ease the pressure across the acute hospital system. The current situation is dangerous and requires immediate action.

“The HSE and Department of Health must be honest with the public about the dire situation facing the majority of our emergency departments. Patient safety must come first, and that means taking decisive action now to address overcrowding.

“This situation is being compounded by recruitment restrictions, with at least four HSE regions now unable to recruit without sign-off from the Department of Health. This is an extremely delayed process that creates significant risks for frontline patient care and staff safety.

“The INMO has written to the HSE seeking immediate engagement on the significant curtailment of services required to align hospital activity with the nurses and midwives available on each roster to deliver safe care.

“The HSE cannot restrict recruitment while simultaneously expecting existing services and capacity to continue regardless of the staffing available. Hospital activity must be aligned with the workforce available to deliver safe patient care,” she said.

Management in MUH have asked that people attend their GP or out of hours service in the first instance if at all possible and request that people only attend the Emergency Department at the hospital if it is an emergency situation.

“The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the Emergency Department; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer.

“Community pharmacists provide expert advice and over-the-counter treatments for a wide range of minor illnesses. In addition to this expert advice, a new service is available which allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medication without the need to see a GP.

“The following common conditions can be treated under the Common Conditions Service; allergic rhinitis, cold sores, conjunctivitis, impetigo, oral thrush, shingles, cystitis (uncomplicated urinary tract infection), vaginal thrush. Information about the scheme is available on the HSE website.”