The Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway is under significant pressure today and patients may experience long waiting times
Attendance at the Emergency Department was very high over the weekend with nearly 400 patients presenting over Saturday and Sunday.
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.
The high number of people attending who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment means that there is pressure on bed availability.
This is resulting in significant delays being experienced by patients in the Emergency Department who are waiting for a bed to become available on a ward.
As of this morning there are 49 patients on trolleys awaiting admission to in-patient beds.
All available beds in the hospital are in use. 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.
“We are committed to treating everyone who presents at our ED but we do so strictly in order of medical priority,” a statement from the hospital said.
“The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.”
“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 Roscommon Injury Unit is also open from 8am to 8pm to treat a range of injuries in both adults and children over five years of age.”
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.
