Thousands of procedures, appointments and scans scheduled for patients this week have been cancelled as a result of the biggest cybercrime attack seen in the State.
The HSE issued the following update on Saturday about which services are operating as normal and where disruptions are occurring.
Covid-19 appointments
All Covid-19 vaccine appointments are continuing as normal. More than 52,000 people were immunised on Friday on the first day of the cyberattack, and inoculations will continue as planned next week.
Appointments for Covid-19 tests scheduled for Saturday are also going ahead. Patients who have booked a test are advised to go to the relevant test centre at their scheduled time.
However, new referrals for tests are impacted by the cyberattack. Those who are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, but do not have a test booked, are asked to self-isolate and contact their general practitioner.
Those with symptoms will be prioritised for testing at a walk-in centre.
People identified as a close contact will be contacted by a HSE tracer, though this service is experiencing delays, and will receive advice on getting a test.
The HSE said there may be delays in receiving Covid-19 test results due to the cyberattack. Anyone waiting for a result must strictly self-isolate.
Emergencies
Emergency departments are open across the country and the ambulance service is operating as normal, and is able to respond to calls.
However, the HSE has advised to present only in the case of an emergency, as the IT outage is causing delays.
The HSE asked that in a case of someone showing signs of a stroke or heart attack they should attend the emergency department or call 112 or 999.
Hospital appointments
X-ray appointments and radiology services have been severely affected by the cyberattack, with widespread patient appointment cancellations, the HSE said. There are also substantial cancellations across all outpatient appointments.
However, most other hospital appointments are going ahead as planned, albeit with delays as hospitals shift to manual processes.
Chemotherapy and dialysis services are being provided as normal.
Any patient whose appointment is cancelled will be contacted by the hospital.
Virtual appointments
Virtual appointments are largely going ahead as planned, with some cancellations. Others may be changed to phone calls.
Cancellations by hospital (correct as of Monday morning)
St Luke’s General Hospital, Carlow/Kilkenny
All outpatient services apart from antenatal clinics are cancelled on Monday, May 17th. Routine X-rays, physiotherapy and cardiac diagnostic appointments are also cancelled.
Ennis General Hospital, Clare
The majority of outpatient appointments and elective procedures will go ahead on Monday. The HSE has advised patients to attend for their appointment unless contacted directly by the hospital.
Delays are expected at the injury unit, however, it will continue to operate from 8am to 8pm.
Cavan General Hospital
Emergency and essential inpatient, day care, and outpatient services are currently operating as normal and most services are continuing as scheduled on Monday, May 17th.
However, outpatient appointments in diagnostic imaging will not go ahead and appointments for these patients will be rescheduled.
Cork University Hospital
X-ray and radiotherapy services have been cancelled for Monday, as well as the processing of bloods from general practitioners. However, some patients may have been contacted to say their X-rays will go ahead, and should attend their appointment.
Anyone with an outpatient appointment, chemotherapy appointment or surgery is asked to come to the hospital at their scheduled time unless contacted directly by the hospital to cancel.
Cork University Maternity Hospital
Gynaecology outpatient appointments are cancelled for Monday and Tuesday.
Labour inductions, C-sections, gynaecology elective operations and all other outpatient appointments will go ahead, but delays are expected.
Letterkenny University Hospital, Donegal
All outpatient X-ray, CT, ultrasound and MRI appointments are cancelled. Endoscopy appointments are also cancelled.
All elective inpatient and day case procedures are cancelled. A small number of procedures may go ahead and these patients will be contacted directly.The emergency department is expecting severe delays.
Beaumont Hospital Dublin
Outpatient appointments in diagnostic imaging are cancelled on Monday and will be rescheduled.
Any other patients whose appointments must be cancelled will be contacted directly.
St Luke’s Centre at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin
All outpatient appointments and non-emergency radiation treatment have been cancelled on Monday.
Children’s Health Ireland, Connolly, Dublin
Virtual clinics online are cancelled but phone call appointments will continue. Delays are expected elsewhere.
On Monday, elective operations and face to face out patient clinics were due to commence but with delays. The emergency department is working as well as possible.
Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin, Dublin
All elective inpatient and day cases are cancelled for Monday and Tuesday, as well as all outpatient and private clinics. The emergency department is open but for urgent care only.
Coombe Hospital and National Maternity Hospital, Dublin
All services are operating as normal, but delays are expected.
Rotunda Hospital, Dublin
All outpatient appointments and inpatient elective surgeries in the gynaecology and colposcopy departments are cancelled for Monday and Tuesday.
Paediatric outpatient appointments for babies older than two weeks are cancelled and will be rescheduled.
Outpatient maternity appointments and scans are cancelled for those who are less than 36 weeks gestation.
Non-urgent appointments at the early pregnancy unit are cancelled, as well as physio and dietitian appointments.
Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital, Dublin
All outpatient services have been cancelled until further notice, but emergency and urgent care remain open.
St Columcille’s Loughlinstown, Dublin
Radiology has been cancelled, and all patients have been notified.
St James’s Hospital, Dublin
All patients should attend their scheduled appointments as normal and regular updates are being published.
Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin
All routine radiology outpatient appointments have been cancelled.
University Hospital Galway, Merlin Park University Hospital, Portiuncla University Hospital
All outpatient clinics, X-rays, CT scans, MRI appointments, endoscopy services and cardiac investigations are cancelled. Elective inpatient and day case procedures are cancelled also, unless patients are directly contacted to attend. Radiotherapy appointments have been cancelled at UHG.
Chemotherapy, maternity services and dialysis treatment are continuing and patients should attend their appointments, unless contacted directly to advise otherwise.
University Hospital Kerry
All routine outpatient appointments, radiology and cardiology appointments have been cancelled for Saturday, unless otherwise advised by the hospital.
Naas General Hospital, Kildare
Some outpatient appointments have been cancelled for Monday. Impacted patients will be contacted to reschedule.
Midlands Hospital Portlaoise, Laois
All routine radiology appointments are cancelled.
University Hospital Limerick, St John’s Hospital, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital
Services will go ahead as scheduled, but delays are expected. Any patients whose appointments must be cancelled will be contacted.
Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, Offaly
All routine radiology appointments are cancelled.
Sligo University Hospital and Roscommon University Hospital
All outpatient clinics, X-rays, CT scans, MRI appointments, endoscopy services and cardiac investigations are cancelled. Elective inpatient and day case procedures are cancelled also, unless patients are directly contacted to attend.
Chemotherapy, maternity services and dialysis treatment are continuing and patients should attend their appointments, unless contacted directly to advise otherwise.
Nenagh hospital, Tipperary
Outpatient appointments and elective procedures will go ahead as scheduled in the majority of cases on Monday. Any patients whose appointments must be cancelled will be contacted.
The injury unit at Nenagh hospital continues to operate from 8am to 8pm, but delays are expected.
Tipperary University Hospital
All outpatient appointments except for the maternity clinic, routine X-rays, blood tests, pre-operative assessments, all elective surgeries and endoscopy treatments are cancelled on Monday.
University Hospital Waterford and Kilcreen Regional Orthopaedic Hospital
All outpatient appointments, radiology and cardiology appointments, all surgical procedures and endoscopy services are cancelled on Monday.
Wexford General Hospital
Outpatient radiology appointments and all X-ray appointments are cancelled for Monday. Endoscopy procedures at Ely Hospital are also cancelled.
Those looking to reschedule an X-ray appointment are asked to contact 053-9153307 on Monday between 9am and 4pm.
The HSE said it will update its patient advice here on a regular basis.
