Action urged as 47 patients left on trolleys at hospital

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation yesterday called for a major emergency plan to be put in place at University Hospital Limerick after almost 50 patients were left on trolleys in the emergency department.

According to the INMO, at 8am yesterday, 47 patients, who were admitted in the previous 24-48 hours for care but for whom no beds were available, were left on trolleys in the emergency department.

“This is catastrophic and the major emergency plan should have been utilised by management at the hospital to protect the patients, the staff, and to assist to make the hospital safe,” the union said.