MIDLAND REGIONAL HOSPITAL Tullamore has been unable to carry out elective surgeries, such as hip or knee replacements, as it has been “inundated” with trauma patients from its emergency department for over 1o weeks.

The facility’s elective ward is currently being used to accommodate an influx emergency incidents coming from the hospital’s A&E.

The volume of patients being admitted through the emergency department has been increasing by 40% year-on-year.

Independent TD Carol Nolan, who asked the hospital about the delays, has contacted Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and the HSE to demand that an elective surgeries hub be established at the hospital.

Within the letter sent to deputy, a representative for the hospital informs her that the annual increase in the volume of patients amounts to a huge amount of work for a facility of its size.

“As such there is a requirement in the Midlands for some form of elective hub as the only elective hubs seem to be in the Dublin area,” the representative added.

According to the correspondence, the lack of an efficient, proper elective surgery hub at the Midlands facilities has been a longstanding issue at the hospital for 10 years.

The letter adds that the hospital is unable to carry out such surgeries as it is at full bed capacity which is “entirely occupied with trauma and acute unscheduled care [patients]“. It pleads with Nolan to bring the issues at the hospital to the attention of Government.

Nolan said the details of the letter are “ringing of a major alarm bell for the facility” and represent what she labeled a “failure of government” to roll-out elective surgery capacity within the Midlands.