THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT in Wexford General Hospital will reopen next month after a fire that broke out in March left it temporarily closed, the HSE confirmed this morning.

The department is expected to be reopened on 25 July next month and will run on a reduced bed capacity at first, then is expected to make a full return by the end of August this year, a spokesperson for the East Hospital Group confirmed.

The hospital’s Manager Linda O’Leary said: “It’s great to have a date. A lot of work from our staff has gone into getting to this point but it’s important to be clear, we still have six weeks to go until the ED opens.”

A spokesperson for the hospital group said that the department will be under a greater pressure due to the reduced capacity.

Worries over waiting lists and emergency departments began soon after as figures supplied to The Journal at the end of March showed that there was a 59% increase in ambulance arrivals to the neighbouring hospital in Waterford since the fire. 

O’Leary said the hospital still has a “huge body” of work yet to be completed, yet are “on the home straight now”.

“We just need to get the work done and be ready for July 25th,” she added.

The fire broke out on the afternoon of 1 March and was declared a major emergency and a number of ambulances evacuated over 200 patients to various hospitals around the province.

Damage caused to the department from the fire in March. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Patients were brought back to the hospital in the following days after the fire which was described as “the first step in the process” to bring the hospital back to a fully operational status.

Maternity services resumed one day after the fire, since acute assessment, minor injuries and children’s units have reopened on a staggered basis.