The Emergency Department (ED) at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) is extremely busy with high numbers of people attending the department who need to be admitted to hospital for ongoing treatment.
In the last week 1,143 people attended the ED at LUH and 345 were admitted to an inpatient bed.
As of this morning there are 12 patients on trolleys in the Emergency Department awaiting admission to an inpatient bed with further patients being accommodated on trolley’s in other areas of the hospital. All available beds in the hospital are in use.
“Patients are facing long waiting times to be admitted from the ED 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,” a HSE spokesperson has warned.
The hospital is advising that patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times.
“We ask that people attend their GP or out of hours service in the first instance. For mild illness or non-urgent conditions there are a number of treatment options open to you – being prepared and knowing where to go will mean that you will get treated more quickly and will ease pressures on the healthcare system.”
The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.
Community
Community pharmacists provide expert advice and over-the-counter treatments for a wide range of minor illnesses. In addition to this expert advice, a new service is available which allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medication without the need to see a GP. The following common conditions can be treated under the Common Conditions Service; allergic rhinitis, cold sores, conjunctivitis, impetigo, oral thrush, shingles, cystitis (uncomplicated urinary tract infection), vaginal thrush. Information about the scheme is available on the HSE website here.
“As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised.
“The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the ED and both the Hospital management team and the clinical management team are doing everything to keep the site safe for our patients.”