HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT SEEK TO HAVE AMBULANCES DIVERTED FROM WEXFORD GENERAL AMID A&E CRISIS
IN AN almost unprecedented move, management at Wexford General Hospital are seeking to have ambulances diverted to Waterford as the Accident and Emergency department reaches crisis point with a sudden spike in admissions and a large number of patients left waiting on trolleys.
On Sunday, some people were left on trolleys all day from 8 am until at least 8 pm while nursing staff who started work at 8 o’clock in the morning were still on duty at midnight even though their shifts were supposed to end at 9 pm.
Ambulances arriving with patients had to wait up to three hours to hand them over to hospital staff, resulting in a shortage of ambulances for other potential emergencies.
On Monday, hospital management issued a request to the National Ambulance Service to divert some ambulances to Waterford University Hospital in order to relieve the pressure on staff and beds.
Advanced paramedic Ger Carthy said it was only the third time in his 15 years working with the HSE that such a request had been made.
‘The A%E is at breaking point. Today, as we speak, there is a request for the by-pass protocol to divert ambulances from Wexford to Waterford. That is very, very uncommon,’ said the Wexford Independent councillor.
A HSE spokeswoman confirmed that Wexford General Hospital experienced ‘increased pressure’ on its A&E depart- ment over the weekend and is still currently ‘under some pressure’.
‘We are seeing patients with a wide range of complex presentations. Wexford General has implemented its full escalation plan and are asking that non-emergency patients contact dtheir GP or Care Doc in the first instance.’
Cllr. Carthy said he is not criticising hospital staff or management. ‘I’m asking for the HSE and the Minister for Health to deal with the issue of A&E overcrowding once and for all.’
According to Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) figures, the number of patients on trollies in Wexford rose from zero to 9 last Friday with no patients on makeshift beds in wards. By Monday morning, the number of people on trolleys had risen to 17 with 10 in wards waiting for beds.
The overcrowding crisis came just a week after the Minister for Health, Simon Harris visited the hospital and viewed the new Emergency Department which opened in June 2014.
‘He was handed a little booklet and told everything is perfect here, move along Minister there is nothing to see,’ said Cllr. Carthy who blamed staff shortages for the problem but said the HSE did not want to deal with it.
‘The Minister needs to get real and tackle this issue going into the winter period.’
‘There is a fantastic new A&E but the whole system needs to be addressed,’ said Cllr. Carthy who received complaints from patients and staff. ‘Why are they not treating people in the community as they do in other countries where an advanced paramedic is sent to a person’s house t treat them. Why does everyone have to be dragged to hospital.’
Meanwhile, there is now a full visitor ban in place in the medical wards on the lower level of the hospital due to an outbreak of the highly contagious Norovirus (Winter Vomiting Bug).
‘The hospital and staff appreciate that this is difficult for patients and their families but remain hopeful that the current outbreak will pass quickly so that patients can receive visitors during normal visiting times,’ said the spokeswoman.
The hospital is appealing to the public to avoid visiting the hospital, unless necessary, until further notice.