Irish hospital consultants have criticised the decision to postpone all non-emergency care at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and other sites in the midwest due to a surge in emergency cases, labelling it as an unnecessary and unjust abandonment of the public. Earlier this week, it was announced by the UL Hospital Group that routine surgeries, endoscopy, and outpatient appointments at UHL, Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St John’s Hospital, and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital were being paused indefinitely. This decision has been taken to manage crowding in the emergency department (ED) at the University Hospital Limerick and attempt to decrease waiting times, improve patient flow and ease pressure on the facility.
The idea to scale back the hospital operations followed a suggestion by a support team set up to address UHL’s chronic overcrowding issue earlier this year. The Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association (IHCA) has, however, expressed strong disapproval of the decision, cautioning that it would lead to adverse effects on patient health during the upcoming autumn and winter months.
Colin Peirce, the vice-president of the IHCA, lambasted the approach, citing a significant lack of ingenuity and collaboration from the HSE leadership. He stressed that the situation in Limerick requires a mix of immediate and medium-term measures, but instead, the HSE leadership is essentially giving up. He cautioned that this approach increases already colossal waiting lists and causes severe harm to the diagnosis and treatment process, which he believes is a complete betrayal of the local residents.
As the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland, UHL continuously faces significant pressures. Concerns about its impact on patient safety have been raised by a health safety watchdog in recent years. A review to determine whether a second ED was necessary in the region due to the ongoing pressures at UHL was announced by Stephen Donnelly, the Minister for Health, earlier this year.