If you had an appointment today or have one this week, it’s worth taking note.
According to RTÉ, the Health Service Executive says it expects that its outpatient services will resume as normal tomorrow with a small number of exceptions.
However, they stated that it may be necessary to cancel some operations tomorrow but urgent procedures will be protected.
All of the hospital’s outpatient appointments were cancelled on Monday due to Storm Ophelia and the HSE say that community services will primarily focus on dealing with the most vulnerable patients in the first instance.
They hope that a gradual return to normal health services will resume over the next few days but for the time being, people can expect some delays in their appointments and discharges as they enter a subsequent catch-up period.
Minister for Health Simon Harris said: “If you have a hospital appointment tomorrow it is proceeding unless you are contacted by the hospital to advise otherwise.”
He added: “If you do not have a hospital appointment tomorrow, please only attend a hospital or your GP if it is urgent to allow system catch up.”
Minister Harris also thanked the “incredible staff” for all their work in his closing tweet followed by a retweet of a HSE message which said: “thanks to all our dedicated staff in frontline services and emergency services for their work today and every day.”
Important update: if you have a hospital appointment tomorrow it is proceeding unless you are contacted by the hospital to advise otherwise
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 16, 2017
If you do not have a hospital appointment tomorrow, please only attend a hospital or your GP if it is urgent to allow system catch up
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 16, 2017
Pleased to see that most community health services will resume tomorrow except where road closures etc makes this impossible
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 16, 2017
As we try to restore many health services after #ophelia, I must emphasis that there will be backlogs. Thanks so much to incredible staff
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 16, 2017
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