UNIVERSITY Hospital Galway is continuing to have a very busy week in its Emergency Department [ED]  last Thursday morning there were 41 patients on trolleys.

Of that 41, a total of 27 were on ED trolleys with 14 more on ward trolleys – earlier this week, the HSE advised that patients attending ED for routine and non-urgent treatment would ‘experience very long waiting times’.

On Monday – by lunchtime – a total of 136 patients had presented for treatment in ED, resulting in lengthy waiting times for non-urgent treatments while 42 patients were on trolleys.

An increase in Covid-19 cases is one of the factors ‘impacting on patient flow’ at UHG, according to the HSE, who have apologised to patients and families for the delays being experienced this week.

“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.

“The Roscommon Injury Unit is also open from 8am to 8pm to treat a range of injuries in both adults and children over five years of age. UHG is committed to treating everyone who presents at ED.

“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,” the Saolta Hospital Group said in a statement issued this week.

Saolta [the collective name for public hospitals in the north and west region], has also advised that all visitors to the hospital will be required to practice good hand hygiene and to use hand gel regularly while face masks are available for use throughout the hospital [UHG].

Pictured: Under pressure: The UHG Emergency Department.