The HSE is blaming a range of factors for an increase in overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick.
It's after nursing staff there warned of a crisis, as the INMO registered an 82% annual increase in the number of patients on trolleys last month.
In response, the HSE has issued the following statement to Clare FM:
The increase in the number of patients waiting on trolleys in the Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick during July is not attributable to one issue but is related to a range of different factors. These factors include the outbreak of suspected Norovirus within the Hospital which poses considerable challenges to Bed Management. The complexity of patients presenting to University Hospital Limerick has also increased over this time last year and a number of wards in John’s Hospital were closed during July due to refurbishment work to upgrade the facility.
To address the issue of patients waiting on trolleys in the ED, University Hospital Limerick has put in place a number of actions :
• The construction of a new ED is well underway and it is expected to open in 2016
• Three patient flow managers have been appointed since July 2013; and are responsible for coordinating the transfer of patients from UHL to Ennis, Nenagh & St. Johns Hospital
• Consultants are informed of the numbers waiting beds each day in the ED at 8am, and again as necessary throughout the day
• A daily teleconference held each day chaired by a member of the Executive team, all hospitals within the group participate in the teleconference and the bed situation in all the hospitals is discussed
· A weekly review of patients greater than 30 days chaired by the Clinical Director and attended by Chief Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Clinical Operations, Patient Flow staff, Ward Management and a Senior Manager from PCCC is in place to expedite where possible complex discharges
• The Acute Medical Unit (AMU) has been opened – this unit takes direct referrals from GPs and referrals from the Emergency Department – there is a Consultant on duty there each day, ensuring patients are seen by a senior decision maker in a timely fashion with regard to decision to admit and plan for treatment. This unit takes patients who would otherwise be seen in the ED.
• The Surgical Assessment Unit works in a similar fashion to the AMU – but for surgical patients.
• We have developed a "Navigational Hub" – a room where all patients are discussed by their ward managers with bed management and relevant clinicians. Potential delays are identified at an early stage and addressed, as well as identification of diagnostics which if carried out will enable early discharge.
• A 17 bed short stay unit has been opened which is managed by the acute medicine physicians, the ambition being to turn around patients within 48 hours of admission. It is anticipated that this unit will expand into an existing ward in the future increasing the capacity of the unit to 49 beds.
University Hospital Limerick regrets that any patient has to wait to be admitted.
