CORK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL is asking patients to only come to its emergency department as a last resort because of serious delays.

The HSE says that the emergency department has been “exceptionally busy” in recent days and anyone attending would have to wait for treatment.

As a result, management at the hospital have asked the HSE to advise people to seek treatment in other care centres before visiting CUH. Management is said to be worried about the situation worsening over the weekend.

In particular, members of the public are being asked to first consider either visiting their GP or the Urgent Care Centre in St Mary’s Health Campus, Gurranabraher in Cork City.

The HSE says that there is no particular reason for CUH being so busy over the past number of days. There are people of all ages and with a range of ailments in the hospital’s waiting room.

The Urgent Care Centre at St. Mary’s is open from 8am to 6pm and can deal with minor injuries like broken bones and burns.

The HSE says most patients at the centre are treated within an hour.

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