More than 10,000 patients left waiting on trolleys during the month of February – says INMO

The INMO’s TrolleyWatch figures show that a total of 10,040 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed including 426 children under the age of 16.

The top five most overcrowded hospitals in February were University Hospital Limerick with 1,561 patients on trolleys, Cork University Hospital with 1,041, University Hospital Galway with 775, the Mater Hospital with 570 and Sligo University Hospital with 528, according to the INMO.

General secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said February was an “incredibly challenging” month for nurses and midwives working in the Irish public health service.

“With over 10,000 people admitted to hospital for care for whom there were no beds,” she said.

“We have seen serious spikes of overcrowding in University Hospital Limerick and across all Dublin hospitals throughout the month of February.

“It is clear that medium and long-term plans are needed to resolve the overcrowding issues in these hospitals.”

Ms Ní Sheaghdha said nurses are working in “extremely unsafe” conditions.

“Their workplaces are not just overcrowded; they are also short staffed. When wards are not staffed correctly, it has a very profound impact on the level of care our members are able to provide to patients,” she said.

“The HSE and Minister for Health must give an update on whether the measures they introduced in January to relieve pressure on our health system have had a real impact and what they are going to do to prevent further spikes in March and April.”

Meanwhile, there are 545 patients waiting on trolleys across Irish hospitals today, seven of whom are under the age of 16.

This comes as the INMO has warned that it will consider a national ballot for industrial action if health service management fails to come up with a new plan to address a “severe staffing crisis” in hospitals.

The INMO said its executive council has sanctioned a campaign of industrial action in pursuance of safe staffing.

Its decision follows consultations with members over the last month.

In January, the Department of Health and HSE moved to address the overcrowding issues in order to relieve pressure on the health system.

More consultants and senior decision makers were deployed in hospitals over weekdays and weekends to ensure a more consistent flow of discharges.

The HSE also sought to find support beds in the private sector and elsewhere in order to free up beds in acute hospitals that can be vacated by patients who are recovering.