Surgeries postponed at ‘extremely busy’ Letterkenny University Hospital 

Some scheduled surgical procedures have been cancelled at  Letterkenny University Hospital due to the high numbers of people attending the emergency department.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is warning patients who attend the emergency department for routine and non-urgent treatment that they will experience “very long waiting times” due to high numbers of people attending the department who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment.

On Wednesday, 140 people attended at the emergency department and Thursday has seen high attendances with 54 patients in the department and 16 patients waiting to be admitted at one stage.

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The HSE said all available beds in the hospital are in use and patients are facing long waiting times to be admitted from the emergency department to a bed on a ward. 

“Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity,” the HSE said in a statement.

“Due to the pressures on the site and the lack of bed capacity, the hospital is postponing some elective procedures. Urgent, time sensitive cases are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed.

“As always, people who do require emergency care are encouraged to attend EDs where they will be prioritised. The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.”

The HSE said the hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the emergency department; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer.

“We continue to request that people only attend the emergency department at the hospital if it is an emergency situation. We ask that people attend their GP or out of hours service in the first instance if at all possible.”