Overcrowding issues again at Letterkenny University Hospital

There was a high level of overcrowding in Letterkenny University Hospital on Monday morning - including five people waiting for more than 24 hours.

LUH was the third most overcrowded hospital in Ireland with 44 people awaiting admission, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

There has also been a significant increase in COVID-19 at the facility with 26 patients having tested positive and outbreaks reported in four wards.

Of those awaiting admission on Monday, 16 were in the emergency department with a further 28 on trollies elsewhere in the hospital.

On Sunday, 119 presented at the emergency department, the Saolta University Healthcare Group has confirmed.

Only Cork University Hospital, where there were 48 people awaiting beds, and University Hospital Limerick, which had 109 patients were waiting for beds, recorded higher numbers

The HSE’s daily Trolly GAR system shows that five people were waiting in the emergency department for more than 24 hours at LUH.

“Many of the attendances are patients who are very sick and need to be admitted to the hospital for treatment,” a spokesperson said.

“There is ongoing pressure on bed availability in the hospital and we regret that many patients are currently experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the ED to an acute bed in the hospital.”

LUH staff are also dealing with what has been described as a ‘significant increase’ in people presenting with COVID-19.

The spokesperson said: “We are committed to treating everyone who presents at our ED but we do so strictly in order of medical priority. The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.”