The INMO has today (Wednesday) stated its members in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin are reporting extreme overcrowding in the hospital due to the high number of presentations in the Emergency Department with 188 patients presenting on Monday 14th March alone.
The union reports that the high number of presentations is causing extreme delays in the Emergency Department and is calling on the hospital to take emergency measures to deal with the situation.
The INMO is specifically requesting that no further beds or new services are opened until the current COVID crisis abates and that all necessary measures to ensure patient safety are taken immediately by hospital management.
This takes place against the backdrop of St Patrick’s Day and the additional public holiday, with spikes in attendance in Emergency Department frequently following bank holiday weekends.
The INMO’s Director of Industrial Relations Albert Murphy said:
Based on previous bank holidays we could see a spike of up to 50% in the number of patients waiting for hospital beds after this weekend; that would mean close to 700 patients on trolleys across the country.
The Mater Hospital issued its own statement earlier today calling on the public not to attend due to extreme pressure on the hospital.
There are significant numbers of staff absent due to COVID and it is understood that there were 8 ambulances on hold outside the hospital’s emergency department this afternoon.
Due to COVID absences, the ED does not have the required agreed staffing levels and there are currently 7 nurses short from the agreed roster.
The hospital needs to ensure that staff and patients are protected during this crisis and that it takes all necessary safety measures. We are seeking an urgent meeting with the CEO of the Hospital to discuss this matter.