Significant delays in the Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital

Letterkenny University Hospital is experiencing an extremely busy time.

In a statement from the Saolta University Health Care Group this (Monday) morning they outlined that the Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital has been extremely busy over the past few days with high numbers of patients presenting for treatment. Yesterday 115 people attended the Emergency Department.

"The high number of people attending who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment means that there is pressure on bed availability. This is resulting in significant delays being experienced by patients in the Emergency Department who are waiting for a bed to become available on a ward. There are currently 22 patients on trolleys in ED.

"In addition the hospital continues to be impacted by Covid-19. As of 8am this morning there were 24 patients with Covid-19 being treated in the hospital.

"All available beds are in use. 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 hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause."

The statement added that 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.

It added if your health problem is not an emergency you should contact your GP during normal surgery hours or the NoWDOC GP out of hours service, in the first instance.