Warning University Hospital Kerry under pressure due to high attendance
The HSE have asked the public in Kerry to consider all care options - including GPs, pharmacists and SouthDoc out-of-hours services in a bid to reduce the current pressure at athe hospital.
When there is a large volume of ED attendances, patients are prioritised in terms of clinical need and wait times for non-urgent care can be lengthy, the HSE said.
Patients arriving to the ED will be clinically assessed and seen in order or priority, so those with non-urgent presentations will be waiting a long time and are advised to seek alternative treatments.
UHK Hospital Manager Mary Fitzgerald said that patients should consider their attendance.
"We must take care of the sickest people first so please, stop and ask yourself: 'Do I really need to attend the ED?' Our Emergency Department cares for those who are seriously ill or injured, so please consider alternative care pathways and seek assistance from other parts of the health service.'
HSE Area Manager for Kerry Julie O'Neill said that the HSE need to manage the current situation.
"UHK is seeing a very high level of attendances at the moment. We need to manage the pressure on the ED, so that we can we continue to prioritise those who are sickest. Those who believe they may be seriously ill and require emergency care should come to UHK, but we would ask others who are not seriously ill, to consider seeking support from pharmacists, GPs, Southdoc and the Injury Unit in Mallow.'
In a statement the HSE South West said other options for patients include their local pharmacy and GP and the Local Injury Unit in Mallow. An out-of-hours GP service is also an option as well as self-care.
The HSE South West also remined patients and their GP's the 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, is available.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Man secures €90,000 settlement over wife's death from blood clot in hospital
A man who sued over the sudden death of his wife at Mallow General Hospital five years ago has settled a High Court action for €90,000. Katherine Heneghan (71) died as a result of a blood clot on September 10th, 2020. Philip Heneghan's senior counsel, John O'Mahony, with Doireann O'Mahony, told the High Court it was their case that Mallow General Hospital did not test Ms Heneghan properly. They claimed she may have survived if given blood thinners. Mr Heneghan (83), with an address in Mallow, sued the HSE over his wife's death. The settlement is without any admission of liability. READ MORE The case alleged Ms Heneghan had been complaining of shortness of breath and had a swelling on her leg. It was claimed the medical team did not assess Ms Heneghan's risk of a blood clot. It was contended that such an assessment would have shown there was a moderate to high risk of a blood clot developing. It was claimed that the risk of blood clot development should be assessed when a breathless patient presents to an emergency department. It was further claimed that there was a failure to deliver a reasonable and safe standard of care. It was further contended that the news of his wife's sudden death had been conveyed to Mr Heneghan in a hospital lift and that this was done in an unprofessional manner causing him profound shock and distress. The HSE denied all of the claims.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Covid symptom warning as new variant mimics common summer illness
Covid is surging again, and doctors are warning that a new strain could be easily mistaken for hay fever or a tummy bug - especially as summer symptoms spike. The variant, known as NB.1.8.1 and unofficially nicknamed Nimbus, has now been detected across Ireland. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently added it to its watch list after it jumped from just 2.5% of global infections in March to over 10% by late April. While there's no evidence the strain causes more severe illness, the WHO says it may be more contagious - and it's spreading fast. According to data from Ireland's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), NB.1.8.1 accounted for 14% of all sequenced cases in Ireland over the past five weeks. The HSE body also reported a worrying rise in confirmed Covid cases across all variants - from 152 three weeks ago to 332 in the most recent week. Doctors are seeing a noticeable shift in symptoms compared to previous waves. While older variants typically presented like a bad cold or flu, NB.1.8.1 is now being linked to stomach-related issues, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea constipation, bloating, abdominal pain and even heartburn. Dr Lara Herrero, Associate Professor and Virology Research Leader at Griffith University, explained: "Common symptoms [of NB.1.8.1] include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur in some cases." And with hay fever in full swing across Ireland - alongside "high" pollen counts forecast for all four provinces this weekend by Met Eireann - many people may not realise they actually have Covid. Both hay fever and Covid can cause sneezing, nasal congestion, headaches and even affect your sense of smell. But there are key differences. Dr Luke Powles, clinical director at Bupa, says a fever is a telltale sign. He explained: "Despite hay fever being more common during the spring and summer, some people are affected by pollen from March to September. This can make it harder to tell if sniffs and sneezes are being caused by an allergy or an infection such as coronavirus." He clarified that it is "not likely" for you to experience a raised temperature as a result of hay fever, adding: "Although a blocked nose due to hay fever can affect your smell or taste, completely losing your ability to taste or smell is more likely to result from coronavirus." The doctor stated that Covid tends to make people feel more unwell overall, explaining: "Hay fever symptoms aren't usually serious and, generally, you won't feel too ill." Irish people who find themselves unwell with gastrointestinal issues or hay fever may actually have Covid, according to the HSE. Ireland's public health guidelines remain the same: If you have any symptoms of Covid, stay at home until 48 hours after the symptoms are mostly or fully gone. You should also avoid contact with other people, especially people at higher risk from Covid. The HSE is reminding the public of the wide range of Covid symptoms to look out for. These include:
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Heartbroken husband receives compensation after sudden death of wife of 55 years
A man who sued over the sudden and unexpected death of his wife at Mallow General Hospital five years ago has settled a High Court action for €90,000. Mother of five and grandmother to thirteen, Katherine Heneghan was 71 years of age when she died as a result of a blood clot on September 10, 2020. The family's counsel, Dr John O'Mahony SC with Doireann O'Mahony BL, told the High Court there was a 'bed issue' at Cork University Hospital and Mrs Heneghan had been admitted to the Mallow hospital Counsel said it was their case that at Mallow General Hospital the pensioner was allegedly not tested properly and not screened appropriately in relation to blood clots and if she had been given blood thinners she may have survived. Counsel said it was a very sad death and Mrs Heneghan was a 'dearly loved wife, mother and grandmother.' The settlement against the HSE is without an admission of liability. At the time of her death Mrs Heneghan and her husband Philip had been married 55 years. In the proceedings it was claimed that when Mr Heneghan arrived at Mallow General Hospital on September 10, he was allegedly given the news of his wife's death in a hospital lift by a nurse and he nearly passed out with shock. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Philip Heneghan (83) of Mallow, Co Cork had sued the HSE over his wife's death. Mrs Heneghan who had been complaining of shortness of breath and had a swelling on her leg was seen at Mallow General Hospital and kept in overnight on September 9, 2020. It was claimed there allegedly was no assessment of Mrs Heneghan in relation to the probability of a blood clot by the admitting medical team at the hospital. It was contended if there had been such an assessment it would have become apparent there was a moderate to high risk of the pensioner developing a blood clot. But for the alleged failure to consider pulmonary embolism as a possible diagnosis it was claimed Mrs Henegan would have survived. It was claimed that a breathless patient presenting to a hospital emergency department needs to have a blood clot considered as part of the differential diagnosis and there was no documentation it was alleged that this was considered a possibility in Mrs Heneghan's case. It was further claimed that there was an alleged failure to deliver a reasonable and safe standard of care and an alleged failure to assess for the possibility of a blood clot and Mrs Heneghan had allegedly been deprived of the chance of survival. It was further contended that the news of his wife's sudden death had been conveyed in an alleged unprofessional manner causing Mr Henegan profound shock and distress. All of the claims were denied. Noting the settlement Mr Justice Paul Coffey conveyed his deepest sympathy to Mr Heneghan and the wider family.
