Letterkenny University Hospital ED "under significant pressure" today

The Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital is under significant pressure today (Wednesday) with high attendances and long waiting times.

Yesterday (Tuesday) 160 people attended the Emergency Department.

A spokesperson for the HSE said: "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.

"The hospital has postponed elective procedures today (Wednesday) given the pressure on the site and patients have been contacted directly."

All available beds in the hospital are in use.

The spokesperson continued: "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 and postponements are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.

"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.

"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."