'Full Capacity Protocol' implemented at Mullingar hospital

Published: Mon 26 Oct 2020, 11:03 AM

Last updated: Mon 26 Oct 2020, 11:30 AM

Public Notice: Regional Hospital Mullingar, October 26, 2020

Regional Hospital Mullingar’s ED (emergency department) and hospital are very busy. The hospital has admitted a lot of seriously ill patients over the weekend with a variety of complex healthcare needs.

Management apologise for the distress or inconvenience caused to patients or their loved ones who are experiencing long wait times.

The Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented consultants are doing additional ward rounds to facilitate discharges and the team are working with the community to discharge patients where it is appropriate to the community.

Hospital management are asking people to think about all their care and treatment options, the length of time they may be waiting in the emergency department should they not require urgent care and ask that people keep emergency department services for the patients who need them most.

However, if you are seriously injured or ill the emergency department staff will assess and treat people as a priority.

HSE reminder

Contact your GP immediately if you have COVID-19 symptoms. Do not attend the ED.

Call your doctor immediately if you think you have one or more symptoms of coronavirus (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, loss or change in your taste or smell).

The COVID-19 test and GP consultation is provided free of charge. Your doctor will assess you over the phone and can arrange a COVID-19 test.

Early diagnosis means you can get the help you need and take steps to avoid spreading the virus to someone else.

Remember, if you have symptoms of COVID-19, you need to self-isolate at home for 10 days, while people in your household will need to restrict their movements.

The increase in cases in recent weeks shows that the virus is actively circulating in the community at moment.

GP out of hours services can arrange a COVID-19 test at the weekend to check if you have the virus.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 over the weekend- call your GP out of hours service.