Letterkenny General Hospital
BREAKING NEWS: Letterkenny General Hospital’s interim emergency department will re-open tomorrow, it has been announced.
Sean Murphy, General Manager, of the hospital said the hospital will begin to take a small number of ambulance only admissions from 10am on Saturday following the flood three weeks ago.
These will be increased on Sunday – with up to 40pc of ambulance only cases – being admitted to Letterkenny General.
The hospital hopes to increase capacity by Monday to take most cases, including self-presentation cases, from north Donegal.
Patients will continue to be taken to Sligo from south Donegal until at least mid-week with diversions to Letterkenny increasing throughout next week and the following week until all Donegal patients are cared for in Letterkenny.
“I’m thrilled,” said Mr Murphy at a lunchtime press conference before briefing local TDs.
“To be here after 21 days and being able to announce this is a fantastic achievement and I want to pay tribute to all the staff and all the contractors who have worked so hard to get to this stage.”
He said a number of local contractors had worked 24/7 to get the interim emergency department up and running.
Patients will be taken into the hospital via the old emergency entrance. New traffic and parking restrictions will come into place to allow this.
Mr Murphy said staff were now ready for the changes over the next few days and he said additional support would be on site to make the contingency plans work.
He also announced that mobile catering facilities for staff and patients will be on site in just two weeks.
“I want to thank the public, our staff and all those who have given us so much support for the past three weeks,” said Mr Murphy.
Under the phased introduction patients are asked not to present themselves at the hospital until Monday. People from south Donegal should continue to use Sligo until mid-week and further announcements are made.
Paul Connors, HSE Communications Director, said an interim engineer’s report on the flood three weeks ago has been completed.
Senator Jimmy Harte has welcomed the temporary Emergency Department.
“It is important that the Emergency Department is up and running as soon as is possible as this this the area of the hospital that will take the pressure off Sligo and Altnagelvin as they feel the strain.
“The public should be reassured that all is being done to get the capacity of the hospital back near normal. At the minute the services are struggling and the news of the temporary facility is very welcome.”