120 patients on average have been presenting to Letterkenny University Hospital for treatment every day over the past week.
Management has confirmed that the situation has resulted in significant delays and pressure on bed availability at the hospital.
Figures released this evening show that 139 people attended the Emergency Department yesterday.
The high number of people attending who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment means that there is pressure on bed availability and this is resulting in significant delays being experienced by patients in the Emergency Department who are waiting for a bed to become available on a ward.
In addition the hospital continues to be impacted by COVID-19.
As of 8pm last night there were 23 patients with COVID-19 being treated in the hospital.
All available beds are in use including an additional 23 escalation beds. Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity.
The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.
The hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the Emergency Department; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer. If your health problem is not an emergency you should contact your GP during normal surgery hours or the NoWDOC GP out of hours service, in the first instance.
