Letterkenny University Hospital is resuming services on a phased basis as the Covid-19 outbreak stabilises onsite.
From today, Monday, the hospital is reinstating Outpatient Clinics and Scheduled Surgery.
The Outbreak Control Team at LUH continues to meet on a daily basis to manage the outbreak and prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of 8pm last night, there were 21 patients with Covid-19 being treated at the hospital. Figures released by Saolta last Friday reported 48 staff currently off work due to Covid infection and 13 staff off because they are symptomatic or a close contact of a confirmed case.
“Given that we are seeing a decrease in the number of inpatients with COVID-19 and the number of staff impacted by the outbreaks has also decreased, we are now working hard on the resumption of services deferred over the last number of weeks as we managed the outbreak,” a spokesperson said.
The hospital plan to reinstate services on a phased basis is as follows:
- Outpatient Clinics will resume on its normal schedule from next Monday the 14th December. Patients who have clinic appointments should attend as normal unless contacted by the Hospital
- Scheduled surgery will commence on a phased basis from Monday 14th December. Next week only day surgery lists will be scheduled to treat time sensitive cases displaced over the last 4 to 6 weeks.
- Inpatient surgery will be undertaken between Monday the 21st and Wednesday the 23rd of December, again with patients selected on the basis of time sensitive need. Some day-case activity will also take place.
- On the basis that COVID-19 levels remain in control, the hospital plans to re-introduce its full schedule of elective services from Monday the 4th January 2021.
Meanwhile, 44 beds remain closed as part of outbreak controls. The hospital remains “extremely busy” and patients are being reminded that the Emergency Department is for urgent and emergency care and patients should go to their GP or GP out of hours for routine treatment.
