Most planned surgeries postponed at hospitals in the west and northwest

All but the most urgent of planned surgeries are being postponed at hospitals in the west and north-west.

The Saolta University Health Care Group, which manages seven hospitals including Letterkenny and Sligo university hospitals, says high levels of emergency attendances along with growing Covid-19 cases has been causing the postponement of elective procedures in recent weeks. 

Time-sensitive and urgent cases are being prioritised when it is safe to do them, the group said.

Saolta said it regrets that patients are having their procedures postponed.

Saolta chief executive Tony Canavan said the surgeries that are going ahead are the most serious. 

“Many of the other ones are being deferred. So these are very significant impacts for patients and patients that have probably been waiting a long time for these procedures so it is a very significant issue,” he told Highland Radio.

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