10,040 patients were on trolleys in February according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation TrolleyWatch figures. 426 children under the age of 16 were admitted without a bed.
The top 5 most overcrowded hospitals in February were:
1. University Hospital Limerick 1,561
2. Cork University Hospital 1,041
3. University Hospital Galway 775
4. Mater 570
5. Sligo University Hospital 528
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.
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.
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.
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.