Wexford General Hospital issue notice to the public ahead of the bank holiday weekend

Wexford General Hospital has issued a notice to the public ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

The hospital say they've implemented several measures to reduce the number of patients waiting on trolleys. However, some are experiencing very long wait times in the Acute medical assesment unit and Emergency Department. According to Hospital Manager, Linda O’Leary, “As we move into Spring the demand on the Hospital has only slightly reduced; patient attendances to the Emergency Department remain very high.  Bank Holiday Weekends can be exceptionally busy so we are asking the public to know their options for care should they require treatment.” Management and clinicians at the hospital urge all patients where appropriate to consult with their GP or Care Doc prior to attending the ED. The Emergency Department will continue to deal with all medical emergencies.  Within the Emergency Department, patients will be prioritised based on the severity of their illness. Hospital Management would like to thank the public for their support and understanding during this period. Meanwhile the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has referred the HSE recruitment freeze to the Workplace Relations’ Commission which will hold a 'conciliation conference' on the matter later today. The move comes as nurses struggle to cope - with trolley numbers soaring again . Yesterday Wexford General Hospital saw 18 people waiting for a bed, today that number has fallen slightly to 13. The INMO say the sheer number of patients on trolleys is not helped by the fact that practically all hospitals are running short of staff, which it says, is having 'a detrimental impact on patient and staff safety'.