More than 600 patients were on hospital trolleys nationwide yesterday

There were 601 patients on trolleys in acute hospitals across the country yesterday, the third highest figure this year, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

Alarmingly, the trolley tally represents a 30% rise on the 460 recorded by the INMO on February 1, 2016.

There were some 612 patients on trolleys in emergency departments or on wards on Tuesday, January 3, and 602 the following day.