Mayo University Hospital (MUH) is advising the public of long wait times in the Emergency Department (ED) as it deals with high attendances. The ED in MUH is extremely busy today with more than 300 patients having attended since Saturday morning. There are currently 17 patients on trolleys in the ED waiting admission and all escalation areas fully utilised.
The high number of people attending who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment means that there is pressure on bed availability. This is resulting in significant delays being experienced by patients in the Emergency Department who are waiting for a bed to become available on a ward.
Due to the pressures on the site and the lack of bed capacity, the hospital is postponing elective procedures. Urgent, time sensitive cases are being prioritised. Patients are being contacted directly if their procedure is being postponed.
The hospital acknowledges that these delays are very difficult for patients and their families and apologises for the inconvenience and distress these delays cause.
