Very long waiting times at emergency department for non-urgent cases

The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore has warned that people presenting at its emergency department with non-urgent conditions are experiencing 'very long' waiting times.

In a statement this afternoon, the hospital said it is experiencing increasing numbers of people requiring admission at this time. The hospital management said additional beds had been opened to cope with this extra demand on capacity and resources at this time.

Hospital management is asking patients with non-emergency conditions, where possible, to seek assistance from other parts of the health service such as their local pharmacist, GP, GP out of hours service, or a local injury unit.

You can visit http://www.hse.ie/injuryunits to find your nearest injury unit and their opening hours. If you require urgent medical attention out of hours, you can visit https://www2.hse.ie/services/find-a-gp-out-of-hours/

The hospital stressed that any patient needing emergency hospital care will be seen and it urged such patients not to delay attending the ED. Do not delay in seeking medical attention if you suspect you are having a heart attack or stroke, please dial 999 or 112 in an emergency.

The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore apologised for any inconvenience caused and thanked the public for their support and understanding.