Kilkenny hospital crisis escalates as St Luke’s forced to close all outpatient services
The crisis at St Luke’s General Hospital deepened this evening after the hospital confirmed it is closing all outpatient services from tomorrow morning.
It comes after the hospital earlier confirmed it was forced to temporarily relocate the paediatric ward after it admitted “a lot of seriously ill patients”.
St Luke’s said there has been a significant increase in the number of patients with “a variety of complex healthcare needs” – including people who are presenting with Covid-19 symptoms.
The hospital Wards 1 and 2 also remain closed to new admissions due to a previous outbreak of CPE and Covid infections.
In an updated statement tonight, St Luke’s said: “The hospital has also made the decision this evening to close all Out Patient Department (OPD) clinical services which include outpatient radiology, physiotherapy and cardiac diagnostic services, from tomorrow Thursday 3rd December 2020 until Tuesday 8th December. In addition, all planned elective inpatient services are currently suspended. All affected patients will be contacted by the hospital and rescheduled at the earliest possible time.”
The hospital said it expects the paediatric ward “will remain relocated” for the next two weeks at least.
A hospital spokesperson said: “We apologise for the inconvenience caused to patients or their loved ones who are experiencing long wait times.
“We are asking people to think about all their care and treatment options, the length of time you may be waiting in ED/AMAU should you not require urgent care and we would ask that people keep our ED services for the patients who need them most.
“However, if you are seriously injured or ill the ED/AMAU will assess and treat you as a priority.”
