Surge in activity at major hospital
The public is being asked not to attend the emergency department at CUH unless absolutely necessary as the hospital continues to experience a significant surge in activity.
The caution comes from HSE South West who said the hospital’s emergency department (ED) is “currently experiencing very high levels of activity” and asked the public to “consider all care options - including GPs, pharmacists and SouthDoc out-of-hours services”.
HSE South West explained that, when there is a large volume of ED attendances, patients are prioritised in terms of clinical need, meaning wait times for non-urgent care can be lengthy. Patients arriving to the ED will be clinically assessed and seen in order of priority, so those with non-urgent presentations will be “waiting a long time” and are advised to seek alternative treatments. The public was reminded that GPs can also access Urgent Virtual Care (UVC), a new regional telehealth service which allows GPs and paramedics to consult directly by phone or by video call, with a senior medical decision-maker in emergency medicine or geriatric medicine.
HSE Integrated Area Manager for Cork South and West Priscilla Lynch said: “Our priority is to protect access to emergency care for those who need it most. We’re asking the public to help us by seeking treatment through other trusted services such as GPs, SouthDoc, pharmacists, and their local injury unit. The new Urgent Virtual Care service is also a vital tool to help GPs assess patients and guide them to the right pathway.”
CUH Chief Executive Officer, Jennifer Kearney, added: “We are currently experiencing a surge in activity at CUH’s emergency department, and it’s vital we reserve our resources for patients with the most critical needs.
“I urge everyone to pause and consider: ‘Is the ED the right place for my care?’ There are excellent alternatives available - including local GPs, pharmacies, SouthDoc, and injury units that can offer prompt and appropriate support,” said Ms Kearney.
The latest Trolly Watch figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) showed that there were 34 patients without beds at CUH yesterday, Wednesday, 29 of which were waiting in the ED.