Escalation notice issued for hospital
Patients urged to source "alternative pathways" of care.
Management at Cavan General Hospital are warning the public that their Emergency Department is experiencing “high volumes” of patients this morning, and are asking that those in need of non-urgent medical care access “alternative pathways”.
The “escalation” notice was issued this morning, December 11, by Su-Zann O’Callaghan,General Manager,Cavan & Monaghan Hospital.
“We are still providing full emergency care if it is required,” says the statement.
Those with non-serious illness to avoid the facility and to instead contact their GP or pharmacy for assistance.
The notice comes amid a rise in the number of RSV infections being reported in the community.
In 2022, RSV infections surged outside of the normal winter season, with some experts attributing this as a consequence of low exposures during the COVID-19 social distancing measures and lockdown periods.
This year reports of RSV circulating began earlier, and this has resulted in an increase in hospital admissions.
Last Friday, December 8, hospital trolley figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation highlighted a total of six patients waiting for a bed at Cavan General Hospital.
On Monday, the INMO reported 16 patients on trolleys in Cavan.
Commenting on today’s trolleys numbers, INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Today’s trolley figures are truly shocking and should be a wake up call to the Health Service Executive, the Government and individual hospital groups that extraordinary steps must be taken to ensure that we are not replicating the same record breaking trolley numbers we saw at the beginning of this year.
“The HSE must take action in the form of accelerating the use of private hospital beds, the immediate cancellation of all non-urgent elective activity and the introduction of heightened infection control measures in all hospitals.
“We are today seeking urgent engagement with the CEO of the HSE and the Minister for Health to discuss what measures can be taken this week to protect the dignity of sick patients and the safety nurses who are trying to provide care in suboptimal conditions.
“The INMO has been warning that dangerous levels of overcrowding were imminent. There is still time to avoid intolerable levels of overcrowding ahead of Christmas and the New Year if action is taken now.”