Out-patient appointments and elective surgeries at University Hospital Kerry have been cancelled for the remainder of this week.
UHK management says the decision was made due to ongoing difficulties with increasing COVID-19 numbers and the associated staffing challenges.
It comes as 31 patients are waiting on trolleys in UHK’s Emergency Department today.
Out-patient scheduled appointments and elective surgeries, with the exception of time critical surgery, had initially been cancelled until today; however, they’re now also cancelled tomorrow (July 14th) and Friday.
There are some exceptions; these are orthopaedic trauma clinics, infusion, dressings, virtual and antenatal clinics.
Exceptions also apply to oncology and palliative care clinics, cardiology out-patient scans and procedures; radiology out-patient imaging/procedures; colposcopy and hysteroscopy clinics at Cíll Ide; time critical endoscopies as well as Saturday’s gynaecology clinic.
Outside of these, UHK is appealing to patients not to attend their scheduled appointment or elective surgery appointments unless the hospital calls you directly.
Work to reschedule appointments is underway.
Hospital management is also requesting that where appropriate, the public contact their GP or SouthDoc and explore all other options before presenting at the ED.
Visiting also remains restricted to one visit per week and those on compassionate grounds only, but virtual visits and email lines remain open.
