University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has fallen “significantly short” of national targets for emergency department waiting times, a report from HIQA has found.

The health watchdog found there have been improvements at the hospital over the last 12 months, but that risks of harm to patients at the facility are not being fully managed.

The report said UHL was either partially compliant or non-compliant, in three of the four national standards assessed on inspection.

'Clear failing'

Sinn Féin spokesperson on health, Deputy David Cullinane said the government isn’t doing enough for people in the mid-west.

“This report by HIQA has identified a clear failing,” he told Newstalk.

“At the moment, the only hospital that has an emergency department in the entire mid-west region is University Hospital Limerick.

“It’s peculiar and an outlier so of course there is going to be more staff in that hospital.”

Deputy Cullinane said UHL’s issues have been exacerbated by the closure of other emergency departments in the area.

“What was promised when the three emergency departments were closed in St John’s, Ennis and Nenagh is that a centre of excellence would be built in Limerick - but that didn’t happen,” he said.

UHL Inspection

HIQ said the hospital was overcrowded on the day they completed their inspection.

“At 10am on the day of inspection, 32 of the 82 patients in the ED were admitted and awaiting an inpatient bed,” they said.

“This overcrowding, albeit reduced since the previous inspection, impacted on meaningful promotion of dignity and privacy for patients.

HIQA also noted that staffing at UHL has improved since their last inspection and that some new initiatives will “take time to be fully established” before improvements can be seen.

Main image: University Hospital Limerick, 29-7-23. Image: Karlis D / Alamy