Almost 200 patients attended the emergeny department of Letterkenny University Hospital in the last 24 hours.
In a statement, a hospital spokesperson said the hospital is under “significant pressure” today with high attendances and long waiting times. A record number of 194 patients attended the Emergency Department in last 24 hours.
The hospital is treating 10 patients for Covid-19 and four patients with Influenza A.
“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. The hospital is also treating ten patients with Covid-19 and four patients with Influenza A.”
All available beds 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.
The spokesperson 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.
“The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the Emergency Department; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer.
“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.”
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