UHG at breaking point under Covid strain

Galway’s main public hospital is creaking under the strain of the Coronavirus pandemic – as nursing staff shortages, inadequate space and increased attendances pile pressure on the Emergency Department.

Whistleblowing medical staff at University Hospital Galway’s ED told the Connacht Tribune that the system is ‘at breaking point’ – and they fear it will deteriorate in the New Year, with a vaccine on the horizon.

“The combination of short staffing, unsafe staffing, lack of space and beds, and a now a mixing of non-Covid and Covid patients, this pandemic is going to get worse,” said one medical practitioner at the city hospital.

Saolta, which manages UHG, conceded that it is proving very difficult to hire additional nurses across a range of areas but especially in the ED.

Patients at UHG were yesterday experiencing long delays for admission at ED to acute beds –and a high number of parients were waiting on trollies.

Saolta said UHG is operating near 100% capacity and attendances have returned to pre-Covid-19 levels, which is posing challenges, particularly in the ED, which is “inadequate for the volumes of patients seen there”.

It confirmed, however, that it was creating additional space at UHG to treat Covid and non-Covid patients separately and safely. Workers who spoke to the Tribune, on condition of anonymity, said one of the big problems was patients using the ED for non-emergencies.

See full story – and latest Covid coverage – in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in all shops now, or you can download the digital version from www.connachttribune.ie

And don’t forget, next week’s Connacht Tribune will be in the shops earlier than usual, from first thing on Tuesday morning.