URGENT: HIQA Demands Immediate Action to Address UHL Crisis

BREAKING: The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has just announced urgent recommendations to tackle the critical overcrowding crisis at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). A newly released review highlights the need for immediate action to improve emergency care across the Mid-West region.

This afternoon, HIQA unveiled three options aimed at alleviating the severe capacity issues at UHL, where 147 admitted patients were reported waiting for beds just this week. The alarming findings underscore a pressing risk to patient safety, as the hospital struggles to meet the growing demand for urgent care services.

Dr. Máirín Ryan, Director of Health Technology Assessment at HIQA, stated, “The core issue impacting urgent and emergency healthcare delivery in HSE Mid-West is the significant inpatient bed capacity deficit relative to demand.” With projections from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) indicating that demand will continue to surge through 2040, the situation is expected to worsen without immediate intervention.

The proposed solutions include expanding the current UHL facility, extending the hospital campus to incorporate an additional nearby hospital site, or establishing a second Model 3 hospital in the Mid-West. HIQA emphasizes that the first two options could provide the most immediate relief to the overwhelmed inpatient capacity, addressing critical safety concerns.

A comprehensive strategic plan is essential, according to HIQA. “Ongoing communication and engagement with the people of the Mid-West will also be crucial to its delivery,” said Sean Egan, HIQA’s Director of Healthcare Regulation. The recommendations come in the wake of heightened scrutiny following the tragic death of Aoife Johnston, a 16-year-old who succumbed to complications from meningitis after waiting over 13 hours for antibiotics at UHL.

The review has sparked urgent discussions among local politicians who have long criticized the closure of emergency departments in Ennis, Nenagh, and St John’s Hospital—decisions made in 2009 as part of a controversial HSE reconfiguration plan. Many believe these closures have significantly contributed to the current crisis at UHL.

As of today, September 30, 2025, there are 133 patients waiting for beds at UHL, significantly more than at any other hospital in the region. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has reported that UHL has the highest number of patients on trolleys daily, further stressing that without a decisive plan, the upcoming winter could lead to even more dire circumstances.

General Secretary of the INMO, Phil Ní Sheaghda, warned, “Unless we see a hospital-by-hospital plan to tackle overcrowding, we are in for a very bleak winter in Irish hospitals, which will see nurses and patients in extremely unsafe circumstances.”

The review, conducted in partnership with the ESRI, seeks to address not only immediate safety concerns but also long-term healthcare needs for the Mid-West region. The findings are set to reshape the future of emergency care, as stakeholders await responses from the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, on how to proceed.

Stay tuned for further updates as this critical situation develops. The urgency of these recommendations cannot be overstated, as the health and safety of the Mid-West population hangs in the balance.