Long wait times at the Emergency Department in University Hospital Galway

University Hospital Galway would like to apologise for the significant delays being experienced by patients who are waiting to be admitted to a bed on a ward. There are currently 70 patients on trolleys in the Emergency Department, Acute Surgical Assessment Unit and Acute Medical Unit.

The hospital has been seriously impacted by COVID-19 and has been treating the highest number of patients with COVID-19 in the country since 11 January; currently there are 88 patients with COVID-19 being treated in the hospital, on four COVID-19 dedicated wards. In addition there are three further wards closed due to outbreaks.

The pressure on bed capacity is resulting in long delays for patients who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment.

All routine surgeries and some scheduled surgeries are being postponed. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is postponed.

The hospital is asking the public to contact their GP during normal surgery hours or the Westdoc GP Out of Hours service in the first instance if their health problem is not urgent.

For minor injuries, 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.