The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised people with non-medical emergencies to avoid the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), where overcrowding has reached critical levels. On Friday, 117 patients were awaiting a bed at the hospital, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).
The HSE said that over the past three days, almost 1,000 people have attended the UHL emergency department. The hospital is under significant pressure, with many patients experiencing long waits for admission.
In a statement, the HSE urged the public to consider alternative care options, such as their GP, out-of-hours services, or local injury units, for non-urgent conditions. It stressed that the emergency department should only be used for genuine emergencies.
The INMO has repeatedly highlighted overcrowding at UHL as a major concern, with patients often treated in corridors and trolleys. The situation has been exacerbated by a lack of inpatient beds and staffing shortages.
Local politicians and patient advocates have called for urgent action to address the ongoing crisis at the hospital, which serves a large catchment area in the Mid-West region.
