Staff at University Hospital Waterford 'absolutely flogged' as overcrowding escalates

Every discipline in University Hospital Waterford (UHW) is under significant pressure at present. 

That's according to the general manager of UHW, Grace Rothwell, who spoke to WLR FM about the "crisis" overcrowding situation at the hospital caused by overflow from Wexford General Hospital and a Covid-19 outbreak. 

A ban on visitors was put in place at the hospital yesterday (Wednesday March 22) due to the outbreak, which reportedly affected three wards and resulted in 17 Covid-19 positive patients. 

Overflow from Wexford General Hospital's emergency department (ED) is also causing capacity issues. It was closed after a devastating fire broke out three weeks ago, with patients from both Wexford and Waterford now attending UHW for medical care. 

In an interview with Déise Today, Rothwell confirmed there were 252 attendees at the emergency department yesterday (March 22). 

She said, "In terms of overall activity, we are well over complimented. There were plus 57 patients this morning, and dare I say that's an improvement on yesterday when we were plus 75, so ultimately what has happened is our ED attendances are up 30-35% and ambulances are up 60%.  

"To say that staff have been absolutely flogged would be an understatement, the staff are just fantastic and people are really putting their shoulder to the wheel. But they're getting tired now, we need things moving here. Our colleagues in National Ambulance are superb, and we've got a flow now of getting some patients back to Wexford every day." 

Although Rothwell acknowledged some of the positives, she said the situation is "not going to go away". 

She said, "[The situation] is not going to resolve for what I understand to be a few months, therefore we have to come up with more solutions. In the meantime patients need to be seen, and we absolutely acknowledge and respect that, but I suppose patients and their families will have to understand at the end of the day there are still only 13 cubicles at the ED here. That hasn't doubled in capacity, it hasn't increased by a third so unfortunately people will have to wait and there will be long wait times for people who present to ED." 

However, she said those in need of urgent medical attention should still come. 

She said, "If you need to come to the ED, do come to the ED. If your issue could potentially be resolved at a pharmacy or GP or outpatient appointment in the next little while, we would prefer that you did that once that meets your clinical need, but those people who do come and are waiting, and I appreciate their frustration, I would ask that they acknowledge and respect staff and be a little bit patient. 

"Staff are doing their absolute best, they really are." 

When Damian from Déise Today called the situation "a tsunami of difficulties", Rothwell responded by saying, "Every department has been affected by what you're referring to as the tsunami and I think that's not a bad description." 

Despite the difficulties at UHW, Rothwell confirmed that "no admitted patients are on either trolleys or chairs in the emergency department". 

However, she did confirm people are on corridor beds at ward level. 

She said, "I feel very bad about [it], it's not the standard of care we aspire to give here. I think we made the three year mark for no trolleys and no extra beds needed on corridors, so unfortunately that has pushed us into that space." 

Forty one overnight admissions were recorded on Tuesday (March 21), which Rothwell called "the worst I have ever experienced here". 

She also highlighted the volume of ambulances which have been coming to the hospital, stating, "One day alone we had 60 ambulances, it's unheard of." 

She said, "Ambulances present a further set of challenges. If we only have 13 cubicles in ED, where will you offset the ambulances to?" 

Although she praised her team as "fantastic", she welcomed the idea of more staff coming from Wexford General Hospital to help with workload. 

She said, "It's a different hospital group so I'm not 100% privy to all the details, some staff have certainly been coming here to support us but absolutely we would welcome more." 

She also confirmed the hospital is looking at opening a vacant ward and hope nursing and health and social care professionals will be provided to staff it. 

She concluded by saying, "We're definitely in a crisis, and you know what we do very well in a crisis as everyone can see. Lots of people are trying to think what's the best thing to do here. It's very unfortunate and very sad what happened in Wexford and we're relieved it didn't happen to us here, and we have to appreciate that fact and continue to do our absolute best."