Letterkenny University Hospital ED faces extreme demand and bed shortage

The Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) is extremely busy, with high numbers of patients needing admission.

Yesterday the department recorded 177 attendances, of which 47 required admission. At present 18 patients are on trolleys awaiting a ward bed, and all escalation and surge areas are at capacity.

The hospital is also coping with flu and Covid outbreaks, further limiting patient placement. An HSE spokesperson said the hospital is implementing measures to improve patient flow and asked the public to consider other healthcare options before attending the ED.

All patients will be treated, with priority given to those who are seriously ill or injured. Those with non‑urgent needs may experience longer waiting times, the spokesperson added.

All available beds are in use, leading to prolonged waits for admission. The hospital is accelerating discharges of patients ready to go home to free up capacity.

Due to the pressure and lack of bed capacity, elective surgeries are being reviewed and some may be deferred, although urgent and time‑sensitive procedures remain prioritised. Patients will be contacted directly if their procedure is postponed.

The HSE apologised for the inconvenience and urged people to attend the ED only in genuine emergencies, recommending GP or out‑of‑hours services, community pharmacists and the new Common Conditions Service for minor ailments.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: RDNE Stock project / Pexels.