Nurses urge action as record number wait on trolleys

INDEPENDENT health watchdogs have been asked to inspect all hospitals for patient mistreatment after it emerged the number of emergency department trolley waits last month was the highest August rate in HSE history.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) made the call on the Health Information Quality Authority, An Bord Altranais and the Medical Council after publishing the figures.

Despite the period traditionally being a quieter time for facilities, figures obtained by the INMO show trolley count levels were 70% higher than the August average for the past five years.

According to the statistics, 6,624 people were told they would be treated on trolleys in cramped emergency department (ED) units and corridors not officially used as trolley spaces last month.

These patients were admitted to the facility after an initial meeting with a medical staff member, meaning they were in genuine need of ED care.

This is 35% higher than in August 2010, when 4,924 were on trolleys; 64% higher than 2009 (4,043); 61% higher than 2008 (4,115); 106% than 2007 (3,219); and 79% than 2006 (3,698).

The worst-affected facilities were Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda (776 patients on trolleys), Beaumont Hospital (596), St Vincent’s University Hospital (587) and University Hospital Galway (554). High rates were also apparent last month at Wexford General Hospital (490) and Cork University Hospital (418).

In contrast, Mercy University Hospital in Cork city (44) and Mayo General Hospital (20) saw little to no trolley count problems, while South Tipperary General Hospital placed just one person on an ED trolley last month.

However, when compared to previous years, almost all hospitals have seen an extremely worrying surge in August trolley count levels.

This has resulted in increasing treatment delays, five years after an expensive national report led to a “zero tolerance” policy former health minister Mary Harney claimed would end the crisis.

INMO general secretary Liam Doran said the issue is causing concern for nurses, who believe the situation will become even worse over the traditionally busy months ahead.

He said “IMF/EU” imposed cutbacks being enforced by the HSE in an attempt to address the system’s chronic budget problems will deepen the effect on patients at the lowest step on the health service ladder.

“These figures for August must tell the [health] minister and the HSE that their current cost containment programmes are having a serious negative impact upon patient care.”

The HSE said it is facing an “extremely challenging financial situation” for the rest of the year and hospitals must stay within agreed budgets.