Visiting restrictions at 'extremely busy' St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny, multiple wards with Covid outbreaks

St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny is currently 'extremely busy' with Covid outbreaks on a number of wards leading to visiting restrictions.

Similar to many Emergency Departments across the country, the local hospital's Emergency Department is seeing high numbers of patients attending, many of whom are presenting with Covid-19 and complex needs requiring admission. 

Some patients may experience very long wait times in the AMAU/ Emergency Department, however, as always staff will prioritise the sickest patients and most urgent cases for treatment and care. 

The HSE is urging members of the public to consider all available care options before attending the AMAU/ Emergency Department. There are a range of care pathways available to patients who do not need emergency care including pharmacists, GP,  and Care Doc out of hours services

"Within the AMAU and Emergency Departments patients will be prioritised based on their clinical complexity priority," says a statement from the Hospital group.

"We therefore urge all patients where appropriate to consult with their GP prior to attending an Emergency Department. In an emergency situation, Emergency Departments continue to deal with all medical emergencies. 

"Currently there a number of wards with Covid-19 outbreaks and visiting is restricted, information on these is available on our website."

Hospital Management would like to thank the public for their support and understanding during this period.