Management at University Hospital Limerick say “demand for services has never been higher”.
The UL Hospitals Group has issued a service update to Tipp FM after the INMO signalled exhaustion and frustration among its members there due to “extreme overcrowding” earlier this week.
81 patients were on trolleys at UHL on Monday morning, with the INMO calling it a particularly dangerous situation during the pandemic.
In response, the UL Hospitals Group says that while not all of those waiting for inpatient beds are on trolleys, they “apologise to all affected patients and their loved ones”.
The Group says that presentations to the UHL Emergency Department have exceeded 200 per day on multiple occasions during this wave of the pandemic.
The latest surge has presented an unprecedented challenge to Irish hospitals, with UL Hospitals Group saying the demand for services has never been higher.
98 new beds have been opened at UHL in the last year, but the overall capacity continues to be pressured.
They’re encouraging people to consider all community based options, including Nenagh’s Local Injuries Unit, as a first option for care if possible.
