A HSE Specialist Team will travel to Donegal this week to launch an immediate review of issues at the Letterkenny University Hospital emergency department.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly confirmed plans for the Performance Management and Improvement Unit today. The move comes on the back of urgent calls from Donegal GPs and LUH consultants seeking external review and intervention at the overcrowded ED.
Minister Donnelly says he intends to visit the hospital ‘in the coming period’ and expressed concern at the high number of people presenting to the ED.
Between January and September, over 40,000 presentations were made at the LUH Emergency Department.
This is a 13% increase over the same period last year, and 25% above the same period in 2019. Attendance numbers at Letterkenny University Hospital are 38% higher than the national average for a Model 3 hospital.
Minister Donnelly said: “I want to ensure that Letterkenny University Hospital is serving the needs of patients and their families in Donegal. The specialist team will work closely with hospital management to focus on measures to improve the patient experience at LUH. This review will address issues such as patient flow, triage, surge capacity, average length of stay and additional discharge opportunities.”
Minister Donnelly said he will liaise with the HSE Specialist Team, adding: “I’m concerned at the high level of presentations at the Emergency Department as we have expanded community care, more home support packages and nursing home supports. Increased funding has been provided for GP access to diagnostics, allowing patients avoid being sent to hospital for x-rays or scans. The ‘Pathfinder’ programme from the National Ambulance Service (NAS) has also been rolled out in Letterkenny since April of this year. This is designed to safely keep older people who phone 112/999 in their own home rather than taking them to a hospital Emergency Department. Improving outcomes for older people by providing safe, alternative care at home, rather than in hospital.”
