Major influx of patients presenting to Emergency Department at UHL

Photo © Pat Flynn

University Hospital Limerick is overwhelmed after 249 people turned up at the emergency department yesterday.

Management are asking patients in North Tipp to stay away unless they have a life-threatening emergency.

UHL is asking people in North Tipperary to only consider turning up at the hospital in Limerick as a last resort in an urgent emergency.

Management says you should first explore all other options like your GP, Shannondoc or a chemist.

Anyone who comes to ED who doesn’t have a life-threatening or severe illness or injury will face a significant wait.

They are currently dealing with exceptionally high demand with a daily average 228 patients attending over the past week.

This is at its highest state of escalation with surge capacity open.

Elective surgery is being reviewed on a daily basis, with only urgent and time-critical patients, including cancer cases, being operated on there today.