University Hospital Waterford is asking people this evening to only attend A&E if absolutely necessary.
The hospital is experiencing extraordinary demand on its Emergency Department services and is addressing the emergency needs presenting to the best of its ability.
The overriding concern of the hospital is that it continues to meet these demands in the safest and fastest way possible.
To ensure that the Emergency Department service is fully available to those most in need of emergency medical care, University Hospital Waterford is asking the public to make full use of GP and Primary Care services so that ED services are retained for those most in need.
The Minister for Health, Simon Harris, warned earlier in the week that this will be a very challenging and difficult week for the health services following last week's snow.
He appealed for people to be patient and said many of the staff at hospitals are exhausted after a very stressful and intense few days.
Mr Harris said that the best assistance that the public can give them is to only use HSE services where absolutely necessary and in cases of emergencies.
