Patients at University Hospital Kerry may be transferred to other facilities when they’re being discharged, to protect the hospital’s capacity.
Hospital manager Mary Fitzgerald has asked all patients to work with the team in hospital when planning for their discharge from hospital.
The HSE South West says it’s more important than ever during winter months to protect capacity at University Hospital Kerry.
Hospital manager Mary Fitzgerald says every hour in a bed in UHK is a precious resource, and patients will only be discharged when medically appropriate to do so.
She says if someone resists to move on from a bed at UHK when the acute phase of their treatment is finished, it means someone else could face a delay in accessing care.
The hospital is offering other options when it’s time for a patient to leave UHK.
These include a transfer to another facility, such as Mallow General Hospital, or a short-term placement in a community hospital.
A patient may also offered a short-term placement in a nursing home, or visits from the community intervention team at home.
Director of Nursing at Mallow General Hospital, Patricia Moloney, has this message for anyone who is transferred from UHK to Mallow:
