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Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

Beaumont Hospital is asking people to stay away from its emergency department tonight

Unless they’re really sick, that is.

MEMBERS OF THE public are being asked to avoid attending one of the country’s busiest emergency departments if possible this evening.

Beaumont Hospital says that it treated its highest number of people in 18 months yesterday and has had to ask GPs not to send patients to the hospital unless absolutely necessary.

Around 50,000 people pass through the department every year and hospital staff say this is exacerbated by the number of older people living in the area and the weather.

“The ED is experiencing an unusually high level of patients presenting combined with a higher than normal admission rate from ED in the period since 28 December onwards.

“In line with the age profile of the area served by the hospital where one in three residents are aged over 65 and living alone, Beaumont is also seeing a high volume of older people attending ED. This includes a growing number of patients presenting with respiratory and influenza symptoms.”

To assist with this, the hospital is asking patients to avoid coming to the department if possible and to access private clinics where possible.

In line with the national escalation policy the hospital have introduced a number of measures to manage the situation including cancelling non urgent admissions and surgeries in order to free up additional beds.

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43 Comments
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    Mute alphanautica
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:14 PM

    respiratory and influenza symptoms are not for the A&E – go to your GP.

    no wonder hospitals are jammed with people heading in because they have a cough.

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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:24 PM

    100% correct. Medical card or not EVERYONE who shows up at A+E should pay the €100 unless they are admitted.

    That would drop the numbers by quite an amount I guarantee you.

    49
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    Mute alphanautica
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:44 PM

    I wouldn’t necessarily charge €100. You know we citizens deserve everything for free.

    Instead it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to organise a system to filter out those who think a cough, runny nose, flu, vomiting bug, cut, sprain, scratch, headache, ingrowing toenail, boil, alcoholic overindulgence, or other minor matter is NOT an ACCIDENT nor EMERGENCY.

    No doubt the HSE has the stats on what is plugging up the system. They should publish them.

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    Mute Garwig
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    Jan 5th 2016, 7:03 PM

    They do have a system it’s called A triage nurse.

    19
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    Mute McGuckin Annette
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    Jan 5th 2016, 7:22 PM

    The 49 people waiting on a bed were admitted because they are acutely ill.

    9
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    Mute Joan Needham
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    Jan 5th 2016, 7:34 PM

    I was in A&E limk on Sunday and there was an elderly gentleman who had chest pains there from 1.30pm and still hadnt seen a doctor (he was triaged and on a trolley) but hadnt seen a dr by 10pm. There was another lot younger guy who was drink (possibly drugs aswell)intoxicated who had his own hospital security gaurd going around full time after him as well as a nurse when he started getting sick. At one stage the security gaurd put a sick man out of his cubicle while he took the man into the cubicle to talk sternly sternly telling him he need to stop his messing. He got pissed off being told to cop on and he stormed off with the security gaurd and nurse trying to get him back. I had to go twice for xrays and once for a CT scan and all 3 times the porter had to go and try make space for my trolley to go through, moving other trolleys or telling other patients to keep their arms/legs/knees in so they didnt get banged with the trolley. Every member of staff that dealt with me were lovely, patient and mannerly, how they managed it in those conditions I have no idea. Hats off and a big thank you to them and the staff of the ward Im in now. They have too many patients and a whole lot of patience.

    40
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    Mute OneTrueVoice
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    Jan 5th 2016, 7:53 PM

    Unbelievable we don’t have Drunk Tanks for those who self-inflict themselves rather than they clogg up A&E.

    Surely if we can have Injection Rooms, we can have Drunk Tanks. Perhaps the virtuous Drinks industry sponsored DrinkAware lobbyists could sponsor such a thing?

    25
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    Mute dysondad
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:33 PM

    50,000???

    44
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    Mute Grumpeee Oldman
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    Jan 5th 2016, 7:15 PM

    No wonder there’s queues for the trolleys

    10
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    Mute Mark
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:35 PM

    18 million people pass through it a year amazing!

    43
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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:56 PM

    A truly shocking statement for a Hospital to have to make, Leo varadker, should resign his position immediately in utter shame and guilt of getting paid under false pretences.

    84
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    Mute Dara McGann
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:06 PM

    Or maybe people should learn to contact their gp during opening hours or d-doc for out of hours and leave the a&e free for actual emergencies. A novel idea I know but that wild get more five than calling for the job of a man who’s resignation would do sweet f**k all to resolve the trolley crisis. Put theatre assistants in the hospital and ask those extra nurses to work emergency. Remove the excess middle management that haven’t helped the health service and are draining it of money. Don’t call for the minister to go when in reality that would do nothing.

    114
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    Mute Dara McGann
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:17 PM

    Would get more done*

    5
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    Mute Martin Ryan
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:35 PM

    Dara, Leo varadker is getting very well paid to do his job and he’s not doing it!! The whole of the health service is in a mess. And I’m sure there are plenty of genuine cases for A&E, my own wife was left 15hrs on a trolley waiting for a neurologist in Beaumont and still get to see one. Let varadker sort out the middle management, he spends far to much time in front of the camera and not enough time on the frontline

    43
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    Mute Sean @114
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:49 PM

    FG’s election manifesto 2011 quote ‘a record number of patients on A&E trollies points to a system in desperate need of change’. ‘Faircare will gradually dismantle the HSE and replace it with Universal Health Insurance’. Oh what a great Fairytale it was and after 5 years there are even more patients on A&E trollies. The reason why some elderly patients are not going to the GP is because GPs are clogged up with 5 and 6 year-olds with snotty noses.

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    Mute Dara McGann
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    Jan 5th 2016, 7:44 PM

    He’s not supposed to be on the front line Martin, that is the point. If he’s in charge he won’t be on the front line. What exactly do you expect him to have done in less than a year that Martin, Harney and the bearded f**ker couldn’t get done in 15? If you have a solution uppity should write to him, I’m sure he’d be glad to hear it.

    13
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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Jan 6th 2016, 6:51 AM

    Or because it’s oversubscribed all the time – build more capacity. Our older citizens, who paid tax for 50-60 years deserve a bit of dignity from the state they built.

    I’m terrified that my parents might have to use Beaumont in an emergency. It’s just not fit for purpose and hasn’t been for a long time

    1
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    Mute Kate Aherne
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:33 PM

    50,000 a day. Surely a typo or a gross over – estimation

    39
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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:35 PM

    Poor people are not allowed get sick unfortunately.

    51
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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:07 PM

    Leo should now resign!! Michael Noonan wasn’t turned away or Gay Byrne but we all got a blow by blow account of their treatment!! FACK off..!!!

    27
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    Mute Daniel Carry
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    Jan 5th 2016, 10:42 PM

    Gaybo went private. As if he’d lower himself to be with the general public! That would be more distressing for him than the heart attack.

    5
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    Mute Sean Newberry
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:38 PM

    Not tonight mate

    24
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    Mute Shane Hartnett
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:37 PM

    50,000 a day…fu#ks sake that many dont pass through Dublin Airport………

    22
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    Mute Obi Wan Kenobi
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:40 PM

    Approximately 59,452 people passed through Dublin Airport every day of 2014

    14
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    Mute Shane Hartnett
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:42 PM

    Were they all sick……

    19
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    Mute Stephen Devlin
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:35 PM

    Sad part about it is a lot of older folks get dumped in the hospital over Christmas so they can go party

    21
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    Mute Ned Shaw
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:44 PM

    Cheaper than a babysitter sitter though.

    13
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    Mute Martin Byrne
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    Jan 6th 2016, 6:45 AM

    A lot? Really? I’d be stunned if that’s the case. Have you any facts to back that up?

    1
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    Mute Tony Buckley
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:49 PM

    From evening heard in 2012…. “A RECORD 1,000 patients a week are now passing through Beaumont Hospital’s emergency department. New figures show that nearly 50,000 people were seen in the accident and emergency department last year.” Surely it hasn’t increased to 50k per day in three years?

    19
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    Mute Joan Needham
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:53 PM

    It says 50,000 a year, not a day…

    31
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    Mute Tony Buckley
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:55 PM

    Corrected to a year I see…

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    Mute Tony Buckley
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:55 PM

    It originally said per day…

    13
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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:47 PM

    So don’t get sick in D9

    16
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    Mute Brenda Macken
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    Jan 6th 2016, 1:35 AM

    My dad spent 56 hours on a trolley in Beaumount in August. Every single person who looked after him was truly wonderful I salute you all. I work for NHS in UK but Beaumount staff take a bow,you all work so hard care so much the system fails you all but porters nurses doctors cleaners security staff bio medical scientists radiographers you made an 83yr old man who had never had a blood test before let alone be admitted and given a devastating diagnosis feel special and cared for and loved and on your busiest shifts you listened to him. Best wishes to you all.

    14
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    Mute Alan O'connor
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:34 PM

    50,000 a day?

    Fair play to them.

    14
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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Jan 5th 2016, 6:06 PM

    Give them a pay rise!!!

    14
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    Mute Paddy o'brian
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    Jan 5th 2016, 8:03 PM

    Posters please read the story before commenting, nowhere dose it state 50’000 per day. It reads 50’000 per year

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    Mute Mark Gerard Lochlain
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    Jan 5th 2016, 8:08 PM

    Paddy boy they changed the article! It did say 50,000

    8
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    Mute Paddy o'brian
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    Jan 5th 2016, 8:30 PM

    Oh dear how silly of me old chop

    3
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    Mute Joe MacCarthaigh
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    Jan 5th 2016, 5:37 PM

    50,000 a day?! Stop the lights

    8
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    Mute Hilda Harte
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    Jan 5th 2016, 9:50 PM

    God help us but hopefully we will all get old some day. If your not old ,fat ,smoke or drink what will they blame ???

    4
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    Mute Joan Needham
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    Jan 5th 2016, 10:11 PM

    Rollerskates….that’s what put me here anyway!

    2
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    Mute Rathminder
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    Jan 6th 2016, 8:03 AM

    Perhaps it’s time to accept the fact that people with no GP or medical card are going to show up in the ER. Another group there might well be people who work full time and can’t/won’t take time off to see a GP. This has been resolved elsewhere by having an AMIC (Acute Minor Illness Clinic). It’s open in the evening until midnight or later. The people with actual emergencies are prioritised at the A&E, and the others can have the five hour wait. Yes, there is an AMIC fee, which likely will never get paid, just as the current A&E fee isn’t.

    1
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