Children’s A&E closed at Tallaght

THE children’s emergency department at Tallaght Hospital closed at midnight on Friday night, March 27, the hospital announced in a statement.

Anyone whose child is seriously ill or whose life may be at risk is to attend Crumlin or Temple Street emergency departments.

Anyone worried that they or their child could have symptoms of Covid-19 or flu should contact their GP, stay at home and not attend emergency departments.

They said that this was done as part of contingency planning. ‘ This decision has been taken to protect our patients, their families and our staff,’ said the hospital in the statement. ‘In doing this, Children’s Health Ireland is supporting Tallaght Hospital with additional staff, emergency facilities and bed capacity for sick adults.’ They said that the decision is in line with other acute paediatric healthcare providers globally who have made similar decisions to support their acute adult hospital systems

Dr Ciara Martin, consultant and Paediatric Executive Lead at CHI in Tallaght, said: ‘We are experiencing a national public health crisis, one we have never seen before.

‘It is so important that all of us within the health service take whatever steps are possible to ensure that we direct resources where they are most in need. ‘We are all committed to providing the best possible clinical care to those who need it and we believe that by taking the steps today the health system as a whole will be strengthened.

‘ The measures announced today for CHI at Tallaght are temporary but necessary. I want to thank the our staff for their dedication, responsiveness and flexibility during these unprecedented times.’