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Health
Mater Hospital issues capacity alert after ‘exceptionally busy week’
An alert was issued to staff at the Dublin hospital earlier today after it reached full capacity. The alert level has since been lowered with some pressures in the emergency department still being experienced.
THE MATER HOSPITAL in Dublin alerted staff and the public that it is at full capacity earlier today after what it described as “an exceptionally busy week”.
In an alert issued to staff this morning, hospital management said that it was at full capacity and special measures were needed to relieve pressure on its emergency department. The alert level has since been lowered and the hospital says it is no longer at full capacity.
As of noon today, the hospital said it was at escalation level 2 and exactly 11 patients are waiting for beds at the facility. The hospital said that pressures in the emergency department were being experienced at present.
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It had earlier been between escalation level three or four with the hospital saying in a statement that “this week has been an exceptionally busy week for the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, in fact for the whole region.”
Such instances are not uncommon and can happen a number of times during the year due to the nature of the congested health system in Ireland. Special measures can include identifying patients who can be discharged as soon as possible.
“The hospital has robust electronic communication pathway system in place and the type of communiqué issued this morning to nurse managers is cascaded regularly to inform them of the escalation status of the hospital and to keep them updated,” the statement added.
Figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation today show that there are 326 patients on trolleys in emergency departments around the country including 135 in the Eastern region which includes hospitals in Dublin and Naas.
The largest number is at our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and Cork University Hospital where there are 35 patients waiting in the emergency departments of each.
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“Special measures can include identifying patients who can be discharged as soon as possible”
I would have thought that was common practise, not a special measure!
How long will it take for the kids hospital to reach capacity with the reduced size -6 weeks? Strange that the minister for health appointed the chairman for the review committee from the board of the existing hospital. The now chairman lobbied for the hospital children’s hospital to be built on the Mayer site. His vice chairman also lobbied for the existing site and they are also on the board of the HSE. It would be a miracle if their report recommends that the new hospital be built on a new site. These politicians are just like FF – they appoint their friends to positions if power. Corrupt.
100% Frank..
They are self serving liars..
Every one of them..
Any idiot can see how totally unsuitable the matter site is .
And with dozens of better options available.
Corruption pure and simple.
I have grown to despise every single one of them.
The corruption and lies just never seem to end.
This whole matter topic is so obviously a stitch up with personal agendas it’s a joke..
Reducing the size to build a hospital which will not serve the purpose and ! with no hope expansion in the future..
And a 100 suitable sites available.
How stupid do they think we the people are..
My brother went in on Sunday with a broken arm needing a plate. 2 days waiting for a bed and another 2 days for the operation. Four days waiting to be sorted for a broken arm? Doesn’t sound correct to me.
Will Dublin City Planners be charged for incompetence? They knew 4 years ago it did not adhere to the EU standard yet barged ahead and wasted taxpayers money. Will the City Manager get jailed for abusing children’s needs – never. All these guy get promoted and large pensions. They are worse than the petty thief as they make decisions which they know are wrong and have been advised that they were acting against the law.
There is no Dublin bias really is there? the Mater is very topical atm plus Dublin has a bigger population, more people to tell/release/sell/expose the story. I’m from Carlow, loads of people down here talk about a Dublin bias in the media but it’s our capital city. Biggest population, by law of averages more stories will happen there, I’m not denying that Galway hospitals reaching capacity isn’t a story, it’s a SHOCKING one, but if it’s happening that often people up there must be sick of it, pardon the pun, and sadly maybe it’s not news anymore…. Then again maybe the media is biased towards Dublin, hmmmm must look up some facts. :) only asking the question :)
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