“Not the standard of care that we want ”- HSE South East under pressure amid patient influx
Around 40 cases of flu per 100,000 people have been reported across Ireland over the past three weeks
HSE Dublin and South East said they are struggling to handle an uptake in hospital admissions over the Christmas period.
Wexford General Hospital and Tipperary University Hospital were highlighted as two hospitals facing significant pressure.
Figures from the HSE, show there have been 2,049 cases of the flu and 216 cases of COVID-19 reported last week.
As of Monday, January 12, 523 patients were recorded on trolleys.
While there were no patients on trolleys in UHW, there were 22 cases of surge capacity in use (number of beds taken from elsewhere in the hospital to meet ED demand), and 19 cases of delayed transfer of care.
“We acknowledge the numbers of patients awaiting admission on a trolley in our emergency departments in the region and in some cases on hospital wards are high this week,” a statement from the HSE said.
“This is not the standard of care that we want for patients of our services and we regret that any patient would have to wait for a hospital bed in this way. This is a patient safety issue.”
HSE Dublin and South East Regional Clinical Director Dr Vida Hamilton said the health service is doing everything to optimise the flow of patients.
“We are asking everyone to work with our hardworking teams planning discharge and consider all your options,” said Dr Hamiliton.
“Patients will only be discharged from our hospitals to their home or to further care when it is medically appropriate to do so.
"If someone is reluctant to move on from a bed when the acute phase of their treatment is finished to a convalescent or rehabilitation setting not only does it mean they are not getting the correct care in the best setting for them but it also it means that someone else could face a delay in accessing acute and emergency care.”
