Hospital overcrowding: Overcrowding problem is ‘more political than management’

The medical consultant charged with tackling overcrowded black spot University Hospital Limerick (UHL) yesterday blamed politicians.

And Paul Burke, chief clinical director of the UHL Limerick group of hospitals, warned that their new emergency department due to open in May, will not reduce the numbers on trolleys.

“We just don’t have the money and that essentially is a significant component of it [overcrowding],” said Dr Burke. “There is a fundamental issue in how we fund the health service. That’s a political issue and we have to deal with it.