Patients on trolleys up almost 30% on last year, claim nurses

THE Irish Nurses’ Organisation (INO) yesterday pointed out that the number of people on trolleys around the country in June was almost 30% higher than in the same month last year.

Speaking at the Irish Congress of Trade Unions biennial delegate conference in Tralee, INO deputy general secretary Dave Hughes revealed the increase in the number of people who were put on trolleys in a 19-day period in June 2009 (4,400) to a similar period in June 2008 (3,416).

He also revealed that over the past 12 months, 581 beds had been closed and six theatres.