Letterkenny University Hospital has issued a plea to the public to only attend A&E if it is a ‘real emergency’ as staff deal with a high volume of sick patients.
The hospital continues to be extremely busy today Friday Nov 6th after first announcing long waiting times on Wednesday.
High patient numbers has resulted in on-going pressure on bed availability in the hospital and patients are currently experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department (ED) to an acute bed in the hospital.
A statement from Saolta said: “The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the ED but does so strictly in order of medical priority and apologises for the long wait times. Once again, the hospital reminds the public 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.
“The hospital is again asking that patients wait in the ED alone to help the hospital maintain social distancing. A companion will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. We know this is very difficult but it is necessary to minimise the risk of infection and to keep everyone safe. Patients are reminded to please wear a face covering/mask when in the ED.
“Management at LUH regrets the distress and inconvenience these delays cause patients and their families.”
