The Emergency Department at University Hospital Galway (UHG ) was extremely busy yesterday (Wednesday ) and the hospital advised that patients who attend ED for routine and non-urgent treatment will experience very long waiting times. The department has seen increased presentations over the last number of days, with 202 Sunday, 296 Monday and 272 Tuesday.
Due to the pressures on the site and the lack of bed capacity, the hospital is postponing some elective procedures. Urgent, time sensitive cases are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed.
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. As of yesterday morning there were 43 patients on trolleys awaiting admission to in-patient beds.
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. The Roscommon Injury Unit is also open from 8am to 8pm to treat a range of injuries in both adults and children over five years of age.
All visitors to the hospital will be required to practice good hand hygiene and use hand gel regularly, face masks are available for use throughout the hospital. Keeping up to date with your vaccines is the most important thing you can do to avoid serious COVID-19 illness.
