Significant delays are being experienced by patients in the Emergency Department of Portiuncula University Hospital Ballinasloe today.
This is due to high attendance at the Emergency Department and the number of people attending who need to be admitted for ongoing treatment.
As a result, significant delays are being experienced by patients who are waiting for a bed to become available on a ward.
Currently, a very high number of patients are on trolleys in ED awaiting admission to in-patient beds.
Elective procedures have been postponed and patients have been contacted directly.
In a statement released in the last hour by the Hospital, all available beds are in use and every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity.
People are being requested to only attend the Emergency Department at the hospital if it is an emergency situation.
Speaking to Galway Bay FM News, Independent Deputy Sean Canney said today's announcement comes as no surprise and that the Emergency departments in Galway University Hospital and Portiuncula Hospitals are overrun at this stage.
