Mayo University Hospital continues to be extremely busy

MAYO University Hospital continues to be extremely busy today and this is having an impact on the length of time patients are waiting in the Emergency Department.

There are 26 patients on trolleys, 17 in the emergency department and nine in wards.

Across the hospital efforts continue to be made to identify patients who are appropriate for discharge and they are getting support from the community to support the more complex discharges.

The hospital is also using beds in an acute ward in the Sacred Heart Hospital to accommodate some patients.

In a statement, the hospital encourages people to attend the Emergency Department only in the case of real emergencies. They should contact their GP or GP out-of-hours service in the first instance.

However, if patients are seriously injured or ill the ED will assess and treat them as a priority.

The Injury Unit in Roscommon University Hospital is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and is available to treat a wide range of injuries in adults and children over five years and is an alternative to visiting a busy Emergency Department.

The hospital has apologised for the inconvenience and distress delays may cause patients.