Letterkenny University Hospital is extremely busy this Wednesday evening, which has resulted in pressure on bed availability.
Patients are currently experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the Emergency Department to an acute bed in the hospital.
“We know these delays are very difficult for our patients and their families,” said a statement from Saolta.
People are being encouraged to attend the Emergency Department (ED) only in the case of real emergencies. If your health problem is not an emergency you should contact your GP during normal surgery hours or the NoWDOC GP Out of hours service, in the first instance.
A Saolta spokesperson said: “We are committed to treating everyone who presents at our ED but we do so strictly in order of medical priority and apologise for the long wait times.
“We would ask 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 we need to do this to minimise everybody’s risk of infection and to keep everyone safe. We remind patients to please wear a face covering/mask when in the ED.”