Rise in Covid cases sees Portiuncula defer all but "very urgent" care

Portiuncula Hospital has announced that it's deferring "all but very urgent and time critical inpatient and day surgery" from today, Wednesday, January 5.

The Ballinasloe hospital also said outpatient clinics would now be held virtually, unless it is "absolutely necessary" for patients to be seen in person.

"These measures are being taken to help the hospital manage the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases currently being treated in the hospital and the rising numbers in the community which are likely to lead to further hospitalisations," said a statement on behalf of the hospital from Saolta University Health Care Group.

While the deferral of these services is for a two-week period initially, Portiuncula said this timeframe would be kept "under review".

"We regret the impact that these deferrals will have on our patients but it is a really important part of maintaining critical and emergency services," said James Keane, the manager of the hospital.

"We are notifying patients directly if their appointment or procedure is being deferred. We ask patients who are attending the hospital for a procedure, urgent outpatients or maternity-related scans to continue to follow all the public health guidance including wearing a face mask.

"We also remind patients to attend the hospital alone, unless the support of another person is essential.

"Visiting restrictions remain in place at the hospital. Members of the public should not visit the hospital except on compassionate grounds and these visits should be arranged in advance with the nurse manager on the ward.

"The hospital continues to be extremely busy and we would also like to remind the public that we encourage them to attend the Emergency Department only in the case of emergencies.

"If your health problem is not an emergency you should contact your GP during normal surgery hours or the Westdoc GP out of hours service, in the first instance."

Mr Keane went on to say that he expects the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine to frontline workers at the hospital to begin this week.

"This is a very positive step and we will work hard to get all staff vaccinated as quickly as possible," he said.

Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore also announced this week that it's ceasing all non-time dependent work, including, inpatient, day case and outpatient services, from today, Wednesday.