UHK has postponed scheduled outpatient appointments until Tuesday.
Management says the emergency department is exceptionally busy and has been coming under continuing pressure in recent days and weeks. Also, the number of patients with COVID-19 in the hospital is the highest outside of hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Galway cities.
Management at University Hospital Kerry have decided to postpone scheduled outpatient appointments up to and including Tuesday, October 26th. However, not all clinics are postponed.
The following clinics will go ahead: orthopaedic trauma, infusion, cardiology, radiology and virtual clinics. Other than those listed clinics, UHK is requesting that patients do not attend scheduled appointments at the outpatient department unless they receive a call from staff.
Patients with urgent queries in relation to an outpatient appointment should contact the consultant’s office. There are also a relatively large number of patients with COVID in the hospital; as of 8pm last evening, there were 25 patients with the disease, with five in ICU.
There are only two general beds available and no ICU beds as of last evening. UHK says the situation will be monitored and reviewed on a daily basis.
