Reilly ‘must ensure wards take extra patients’ in times of A&E crisis

Ireland’s emergency department overcrowding crisis could be significantly reduced if James Reilly, the health minister, ensured rules to make wards take extra patients in times of excessive trolley numbers were enforced.

The recommendation was made just a day after it emerged that Dr Martin Connor, one of Dr Reilly’s original personnel appointed to the Special Delivery Unit on a €160,000 a year deal to help solve the crisis, failed to attend most meetings on the matter before being replaced last month.

Speaking at the Irish Medical Organisation’s annual general meeting, Dr Peadar Gilligan, emergency department consultant at Beaumont Hospital, said the crisis could be addressed if an existing “full capacity policy” was fully implemented in hospitals.