Additional acute beds ‘will solve A&E crisis’

Trying to address overcrowding in our hospitals without a focus on acute beds is “little more than political PR initiatives” which will have little impact for patients, a doctors’ group has claimed.

Doctors have claimed that moves to address overcrowding in hospitals which do not focus on the shortage of acute beds are “little more than political PR initiatives” which will have little impact for patients.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s daily trolley and ward watch report claimed there were 299 patients awaiting a bed yesterday morning — seven of the country’s largest hospital had 20 or more patients in that position, including Cork University Hospital; Beaumont and Tallaght Hospitals in Dublin; University Hospital Limerick; and the Midland Regional Hospitals in Mullingar and Tullamore.