THE EMERGENCY Department at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) has again today warned the public to avoid A & E unless it is a real emergency as waiting times at the hospital soar.
In a statement hospital officials said it is extremely busy today as they approach the weekend.
“The hospital has seen a significant increase in the numbers of patients presenting with respiratory and flu like illness. Patients with flu require isolation to prevent the spread of infection and this is a significant challenge,” a spokesperson said.
“Actions are underway in the hospital to alleviate the waiting times for patients requiring hospital admission include additional reviews and early discharges. We regret the delays experienced by our patients.
“We would like to remind the public that we encourage them to attend the Emergency Department only in the case of real emergencies and they should contact their GP or GP Out-of-Hours service in the first instance. We also wish to thank our staff who are working extremely hard during this busy and difficult time.”
According to today’s Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (INMO) trolley watch figures there are 31 patients waiting on a bed at LUH.
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