The University Hospital Limerick (UHL), recognised as Ireland’s most overcrowded healthcare institution, is facing significant challenges as of August. Scheduled healthcare services in the midwest region are being notably scaled back to help alleviate the strain on the hospital.
Recently, 84 individuals were reportedly left waiting on trolleys at UHL, with an additional 58 patients held in surge capacity. Upon observing the situation, Health Service Executive CEO, Bernard Gloster, expressed utter shock. It isn’t just a seasonal issue anymore as bed pressure persists throughout the year and intensifies during winter.
Interestingly, UHL was forced to resort to such severe measures even in late summer, a move that came as a surprise. UHL is notorious for leading the national counts of patients waiting on trolleys. Repeated warnings have been issued by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) regarding the potential dangers this issue poses to patient safety. In April, UHL received a support team who recommended regular ‘resets,’ involving the rescheduling or deferral of planned care to ensure bed availability for urgent cases.
According to Gloster, there is already a backlog in UHL’s emergency care. There have been unfortunate incidents in the past where dire overcrowding resulted in untimely access to treatment and, consequently, loss of lives. However, the healthcare service does not exist solely for emergencies; it is meant to cater to the entire population. The move to disrupt services during August is an ill-omen for the approaching winter months, where respiratory illnesses can surge.
This situation leaves many concerned over the implications for those waiting patiently for procedures if such drastic action becomes routine. Applying a temporary halt might provide immediate relief, but it surely won’t suffice in the long run. If this continues, waiting lists will only lengthen. Despite these serious concerns, Gloster expressed that taking this decision is preferable to leaving urgent patients languishing on trolleys for extended periods.
As Hiqa initiates evaluations to determine the need for an additional emergency department in the midwest area, it appears evident from the actions taken in August that there’s a clear need. Despite much-needed changes in patient flow management, or a comprehensive solution towards capacity issues, it appears that we may see future reports about deferred routine treatment at UHL.