THE MATER HOSPITAL is asking people to avoid its emergency department where possible as it faces pressure from an increase in Covid-19 patients.

The hospital is strained by a combination of high presentations at the emergency department and an increased number of patients with a case of Covid-19.

Additionally, staff being unable to come to work due to having the virus or being a close contact is putting pressure on the hospital.

At 8am this morning, 627 patients in hospitals around the country had a confirmed case of Covid-19, including 68 in ICU.

“Where possible, the Mater Hospital advises patients with non-emergency conditions to seek assistance from other parts of the health service such as minor injury units or their GP,” the hospital said in a statement.

“Unfortunately, those who do present at the ED with non-emergency conditions can expect long waits.”

Patients who have an appointment at the Mater should attend as scheduled unless the hospital contacts them to advise them otherwise.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this causes and thank the public for their understanding and cooperation.”

Around the country, 584 admitted patients were waiting for beds in hospitals as of this morning. 461 patients were waiting in emergency departments and 123 were waiting elsewhere on wards.

31 of those patients are in the Mater Hospital, all of whom were waiting in the ED.

The highest number of patients waiting for a bed at any hospital this morning was at University Hospital Limerick, with 33 in the ED and 42 on wards elsewhere.

Yesterday, 603 patients were waiting for a bed around the country – the highest since 4 February 2020.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation called for the government to urgently act on the steep waiting lists.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said that the number of patients without a bed is “simply unacceptable and should not be tolerated”.

“We are calling for the Emergency Department Taskforce to be convened and for emergency measures to be deployed in the areas worst hit,” Ní Sheaghdha said.

We cannot allow the health service to revert to form and allow pre-Covid levels of overcrowding to become the norm once again in our hospitals. Patients and nursing staff deserve better.

“If non-emergency services need to be curtailed in order to allow the HSE and hospital groups to get a handle on out of control trolley figures then that must be done,” she said.

“It is not acceptable to our members to allow overcrowding become an out of control problem once again.”

In Limerick, HIQA has written to the CEO of the UL Hospitals Group evaluating the factors influencing overcrowding in its emergency department.

Clare TD Michael McNamara raised the issue in the Dáil yesterday, calling for the government to confirm if an independent review separate to HIQA’s would be carried out “after the Taoiseach confirmed to him last month that such a review would be considered.”

“A full review of operations within the UL Hospitals Group is required if we are to ultimately find lasting solutions to the overcrowding issues,” McNamara said.

“HIQA has a limited remit and would not be in a position to put forward such recommendations as the upgrading of Ennis, Nenagh or St. Johns to Model 3 Hospitals,” he said.