Hospital needs help to cope with increased demand

WATERFORD Regional Hospital needs more funding to cope with increasing numbers attending its accident and emergency department, a councillor has warned.

While the South-East's chief hospital saw the second highest number of patients at its casualty department of all hospitals last year, it is only ninth in the national funding order.

More than 423,000 patients were seen at casualty at WRH last year, more than Cork University Hospital, and just below Tallaght Hospital, figures show.