Long waiting times at Emergency Department at Portiuncula Hospital

Hospital is extremely busy heading into weekend

THE public is being advised to expect lengthy delays and to avoid if possible attending the Emergency Department at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

The hospital warns it is extremely busy heading into the weekend and there is already pressure on bed availability in the hospital.

Patients are already experiencing long waiting times to be admitted from the ED to a ward for ongoing treatment.

The hospital apologise to patients and their families for the delays.

Contact GP service

Due to the pressure on the Emergency Department, the public are asked to contact their GP during normal surgery hours or their GP Out of Hours service in the first instance if their health problem is not urgent.

Also, the Injury Unit in Roscommon University Hospital is open from 8am to 8pm every day to treat a range of injuries in both adults and children over five years of age.

"Portiuncula University Hospital is committed to treating everyone who presents at the ED; people who are seriously injured or ill are assessed and treated as a priority and those who do not require urgent care may be waiting longer," said a hospital spokesperson.