Highest Number Of Patients Waiting On Trolleys (534) Since Pandemic Declared

Monday, 13 December 2021 11:49

34 at Naas General

As of 8am this morning, 534 people were waiting on trolleys in Irish Hospital emergency departments - the worst overcrowding since the pandemic was declared.

34 patients at Naas General were awaiting a bed, according to the Irish Nursing & Midwives Organisation's Trolley Watch figures.

The INMO has called for bespoke plans to tackle overcrowding in each hospital.

INMO General Secretary, Naas woman Phil Ní Sheaghdha has said:

“Today’s figures are a real nightmare before Christmas scenario. We need to see urgent mitigation measures from individual hospitals and the HSE to tackle the number of people on trolleys.

The warning signs that trolleys would go over five hundred once again have been very obvious. This is a predictable event.

Overcrowded hospitals reduce the ability to deliver safe care. With this pandemic it is even more important that the HSE take all necessary steps to avoid the overcrowded wards and emergency departments becoming the source of infection.

We are once again calling for a fully-funded workforce plan, and adequate health and safety measures including enhanced ventilation in our hospitals.

The public service is under too much pressure to be expected to shoulder the entire burden of the pandemic alongside rising numbers of patients presenting at emergency departments. The HSE must seek full utilisation of private hospitals.

Our members are mentally and physically exhausted. They cannot head into yet another pandemic winter with trolley numbers out of control while the pandemic continues.

Decisive action and bespoke plans to tackle overcrowding, particularly in hospitals where we see persistent overcrowding is needed.”