Red weather warning significantly disrupts HSE services
Services across HSE Dublin and Midlands will see significant disruptions due to Storm Éowyn tomorrow (Friday, 24 January).
HSE Dublin and Midlands provides health and social care services to Dublin South City and West and Dublin South West, Kildare, West Wicklow, Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath.
Outpatient and non-urgent services in hospitals and non-essential community healthcare will be cancelled tomorrow due to the severe weather warning status red.
Where people are in receipt of specialist and time critical services such as dialysis and cancer treatment, the treating unit will contact the patient directly if there are any changes to the schedule. Supports to vulnerable people at home in the community will be prioritised on an urgent needs basis during the hours of restricted travel (red hours).
There is changes to opening hours of Injury Units within the region;
- The Injury Unit based at Naas General Hospital will open at a later time of 1pm until 8pm.
- The Injury Unit located in Charter Medical, Mullingar who will open at the later time of 2pm until 8pm.
A red weather warning means everyone should stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and take action to protect themselves and their properties.
Kate Killeen White, REO HSE Dublin and Midlands said, “Every possible effort is being made to keep staff and patients safe, while maintaining essential services. It is essential that our staff and the public stay safe during this period of extreme weather. Non urgent appointments and routine services will not run on Friday. Do not travel to a HSE service or appointment unless you hear directly from us.
Our services are working very hard to develop contingency plans to make sure essential services are maintained. Our priority is the safety of our patients, their families and staff. Thank you to the staff and teams who are coming to work in hospitals, clinics and residential settings tonight and who will stay overnight so that they can be in place ahead of the Red Weather warning.
“Finally, if you require urgent emergency care, please attend their local emergency department for treatment, whilst taking every precaution to keep safe on route. As always, our emergency departments provide emergency care to patients 24/ 7.”
We will provide regular updates on services on our webpage https://www2.hse.ie/services/disruptions/ and we will also provide regular updates through local media and on our national and regional social media channels. Where possible, our teams will make contact directly with those who use our day centre services in disability, mental health, or older people to advise them of disruptions. Families can also contact their local day service directly to get an update.
Points to note:
All non-urgent health services are cancelled for Friday. This includes for examples, outpatient appointments in our hospitals, clinics in primary care centres, day services in the community providing care for older people, those with disabilities and community mental health services.
In addition, any service that involves staff travelling to client’s homes is cancelled, for example home help services, therapy services and public health nursing. However we will prioritise the most vulnerable for home care services wherever possible. Emergency services will continue to be provided and our Emergency Department will remain open.
HSE corporate offices will remain closed.
Issued by HSE Dublin and Midlands
