44% jump in trolley numbers an ‘emergency’

A 44% increase in the numbers of people on trolleys has prompted the country’s largest nursing union to describe the situation in the country’s emergency departments as a "national emergency".

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) pointed to figures it had compiled which showed that, during November, there were 7,124 people on trolleys in wards and emergency departments in 32 hospitals, compared to 4,966 in the same month last year.

The nursing union pointed out that in November 2006 there were 4,671 people on trolleys, 53% fewer than last month, yet in 2006 the situation was declared a national emergency.