Patients at five hospitals whose procedures were cancelled due to overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick have been left without support by the “unthinkable and unnecessary” move, the Irish Association of Hospital Consultants has said.
The cancellations follow severe overcrowding at UHL, with 120 patients without a bed on Thursday, 127 on Wednesday and 103 on Tuesday, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
HSE Mid West regional chief executive Sandra Broderick apologised, saying the move would reduce stress for patients in crisis.
“Additional surge capacity has been opened in hospitals across the region to meet the current demand for unscheduled care,” she said.
“We recognise that this is very challenging for patients who in some cases have already faced long waits for an appointment,” Ms Broderick said.
Patients at UHL and hospitals in Ennis and Nenagh, as well as St John's Hospital and Croom Orthopaedic Hospital, are now facing delays.
A company spokesperson said services have been postponed until further notice and affected patients are being contacted.
However, exceptions are provided for oncology services, kidney dialysis, cardiology and emergency departments, as well as other services.
The emergency department remains open, as do trauma departments at Ennis, Neenah and St John's hospitals.
However, IHCA vice-president Colin Pearce said the decision demonstrated a “complete lack of creativity and collaboration” from HSE management.
“We have all known for years that Limerick has problems. We also know that solving them requires a combination of immediate and medium-term solutions.
“This is unbelievable, unnecessary and shows indifference to the local population,” he warned.
Dr Pearce, a colorectal surgeon at UHL, said: “No hospital consultant wants to tell a patient awaiting a major operation that their critical treatment has been cancelled and, worse, that they don't know when it will be rescheduled.”
He warned it would have a “major impact” on waiting lists and a “direct negative impact” on patients who now have to wait longer for care.
Similarly, the Midwest Hospital Campaign said it was shocked by the August revocations and criticized the role of the newly appointed REO.
“What has the extra layer of management in the HSE achieved other than taking over much-needed care home facilities in Nenagh and Ennis and sending vulnerable patients home in the middle of the night?” a spokeswoman said.
Separately, activist Mike Daly said he was aware of “patients being admitted who were receiving last-minute phone calls just three hours before their appointment” on Thursday.
“This approach is akin to robbing Peter to pay Paul – a misguided attempt to reduce emergency department congestion at the expense of important services elsewhere,” he added.
Overcrowding at UHL has been highlighted in tragic inquiries and court cases this year, followed by announcements from the HSE and the Health Secretary aimed at improving the situation, including a pledge by Hiqa to review all local emergency services.
However, the hearing has not yet begun pending the findings of a separate inquest led by former judge Frank Clark into the death of 16-year-old Aoife Johnston in 2022.