LETTERKENNY University Hospital is advising patients attending the Emergency Department of very long waiting times this afternoon.

They say the Emergency Department is extremely busy today with high numbers of people attending the department who need to be admitted to hospital for ongoing treatment.

As of early afternoon, there have been 67 presentations to the emergency department with eight patients on trolleys awaiting admission to an inpatient bed. Yesterday, Wednesday, 163 people attended at the Emergency Department.

The hospital is advising that patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times.

A hospital spokesperson said: “All available beds in the hospital are in use. “Patients are facing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department to a bed on a ward.

“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.

“As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised.

“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 spokesperson added that 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.”

People should check the HSE website for useful advice on common illnesses such as colds, coughs, flu, earache and sore throats and keeping well.