FERMANAGH patients, excluding those who are critically ill, are being asked not to attend the SWAH’s emergency department (ED) without first calling ahead to be assessed.
As the Enniskillen hospital continues to battle the current surge in Covid, with an influx of patients in recent weeks, and attendances at the local ED continuing to remain high, the Western Trust said it will be implementing the new telephone triage service in the coming weeks.
Speaking at a media briefing in which Trust bosses outlined the intense pressure its hospitals are now under, director of acute services at the Western Trust, Geraldine McKay, said plans were in motion in introduce the new system in the coming weeks. She stressed, however, that it would not apply to critically ill patients or those brought in by ambulances in an emergency situation.
Stating the Trust had already been urging patients to only attend the ED in emergencies, Ms McKay said the aim was to reduce pressure and footfall by redirecting patients away from the ED.
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