Record number of patients on trolleys at Limerick hospital

A record 66 patients were awaiting admission yesterday to University Hospital Limerick from its emergency department.

There were 37 patients on trolleys and another 29 on wards waiting for a bed to be found for them, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s Trolley and Ward Watch.

A spokesperson for the hospital said its emergency department has been particularly busy in recent weeks, with patients experiencing long waits for admission. The hospital had 58 patients waiting for admission on Monday, with 42 on trolleys and 16 on wards.

It has now surpassed the previous record of 58 patients on trolleys or on wards at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda in October 2011.

The University Hospital Limerick spokesperson pointed out that at 2pm yesterday, the number of patients awaiting admission to a bed from the emergency department had reduced to 40.

“While the numbers waiting are still much too high, all staff across our hospitals are working hard to free up beds where it’s possible and safe to do so.

“University Limerick Hospitals Group regrets that any patient had to face long waits in our emergency department during busy periods,” she said.

However, INMO members said they did not accept that hospital management were “robustly” managing all of the available bed capacity and noted that nurses are going home in tears because of unmanageable workloads and concern for the outcomes of patients.

In hospitals across the country yesterday 456 patients were waiting to be admitted to a bed from the emergency department.

University Hospital Galway had the second highest number of patients waiting for a bed, at 43; with 30 on trolleys, and 13 on wards.