New surgical assessment unit opens in Drogheda

According to RCSI Hospitals Group, the unit will support the development of surgery services and provide rapid assessment, diagnosis and commencement of appropriate treatment by a senior surgical clinician for a designated group of surgical presentations who attend the hospital’s Emergency Department (ED).

The new unit follows the eight new clinical decision bays opened in the modular build last September, with 12 more to open shortly, pending staff recruitment which is underway.

These additional beds will further improve the service for patients and will reduce pressure on the ED, according to a statement issued today by RCSI Hospitals Group.

“Our Lady of Lourdes (OLOL) Hospital Drogheda is part of the RCSI Hospitals Group, which is using all its hospitals to assist ones like OLOL under pressure, with Cavan, Beaumont and Blanchardstown supporting patient needs in the area,” stated the Group.

Meanwhile, latest figures from the INMO show that the highest numbers of patients on trolleys in EDs today were at Beaumont Hospital and Cork University Hospital (both 39).

This was followed by 26 patients at University Hospital Limerick, 25 patients at both Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and St Vincent’s University Hospital, 19 at University College Hospital Galway and 17 at OLOL Drogheda.

Patients on beds, trolleys or chairs in inpatient wards/units, above the stated complement of the ward/unit, were highest today in Tallaght Hospital (17), University Hospital, Limerick (16) and Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown (15).