Galway Bay fm newsroom - Escalation protocols are in operation at UHG and Portiuncula Hospital today due to overcrowding.
University Hospital Galway is the second most overcrowded nationwide today with 50 people waiting for a bed, just behind University Hospital Limerick where 54 are waiting.
Portiuncula hospital has seen a significant increase in the numbers of patients presenting with respiratory and flu like illness, and has 19 people waiting for a bed.
In a statement the hospital says that because patients with flu require isolation to prevent the spread of infection this poses a significant challenge.
Actions underway at both UHG and Portiuncula to alleviate the waiting times for patients requiring hospital admission include additional reviews, early discharges and deferral of elective non urgent procedures.
238 people attended the UHG A&E yesterday after a high number of attendances on Bank Holiday Monday.
Hospital management opened escalation beds to deal with capacity over the weekend and were forced to use the acute medical area as an overnight last night.
A number of elective procedures have been cancelled today due to overcrowing with cancer and urgent electives being prioritised.
General Manager at Galway University Hospitals Chris Kane says there are ongoing issues with volume as well as challenges with discharges.
