Some UL Hospital services cancelled

Outpatient services and elective and day surgeries have been deferred until further notice across the UL hospital group in the Midwest.

This is due to a high volume of patients attending the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick.

UL Hospitals says the high demand for emergency care is adversely impacting wait times and patient experience. It says a meeting of its executive board yesterday discussed ways to de-escalate the situation.

This resulted in the group deciding to defer all elective inpatient and day surgery, endoscopy and outpatient appointments until further notice.

This includes University Hospital Limerick as well as Ennis Hospital, Nenagh Hospital, St. John's Hospital and Croom Orthopedic Hospital.

The group says is regrets the decision, but emphasised the emergency department at UHL remains open.

Trauma surgery services and injury units are all operating as normal.