Nurses at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital are holding a lunchtime protest today.
The demonstration, at the gates to the hospital, is in protest at what the INMO says are unsafe conditions for patients and staff, due to continued overcrowding in the Emergency Department.
Meanwhile, the UL Hospitals Groups says patients are being discharged to Ennis, and Nenagh as well as nursing homes where possible and appropriate to free up beds, as the trolley crisis continues.
The HSE says the busy period at Limerick's A and E is continuing following a week of record highs in the number of people left on trollies and they're encouraging the public to play their part in relieving the backlog.
The UL Hospitals Group have issued the following statement:
Following a very busy week for the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick, the ED continues to be busy.
Amongst the key factors contributing to the increase in pressure within the ED is the older age profile of patients presenting and the complexity of issues they have. As a result, we are experiencing delays in discharging these patients home or to other appropriate settings. We have worked with our Community colleagues over the last week who have identified capacity and supported our patient discharges to elderly care units or nursing homes.
As part of our escalation plan to address the expected increase, UL Hospitals has opened additional beds across the group and patients who have finished their care are being discharged home or to the community. Where possible patients are being transferred from UHL to Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s for ongoing treatment. Following the re-configuration of Surgery across UL Hospitals, elective surgeries are being carried out in Ennis, Nenagh & St John’s hospitals, the majority of these surgeries are day case and do not impact on our in-patient capacity, resulting in a small number of elective surgeries being deferred this week.
Our staff are working very hard to ensure the optimum care and safety of all our patients during this exceptionally busy period.
UL Hospitals apologises that any patient has to be wait to be admitted. Patients are reminded to keep the ED for emergencies only and to contact their GP or GP Out of Hours services in the first instance. Local Injury Units are open in Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Sunday and 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday at St. John's Hospital. Patients aged 5 years+ with minor injuries; for example suspected broken bones in arm or lower leg, sprains, strains, minor scalds, burns or cuts are encouraged to visit their Local Injury Units for treatment.
