Number of patients on hospital trolleys up 44% in last year

Health Minister Leo Varadkar is being urged to address the issue of overcrowding at our hospitals, and declare a national emergency.

According to the latest figures, the number of patients on trolleys in November is up 44% compared to last year.

They are also more than double the number recorded 10 years ago, when the situation was declared a national emergency.

It comes as members of the INMO working in the emergency department at Beaumont Hospital prepare to hold a lunchtime protest tomorrow to highlight severe overcrowding and understaffing at the hospital.

The INMO is also calling for the Minister to re-establish the National ED Forum, which was stood down when the Special Delivery Unit was set up.

INMO General Secretary Liam Doran says we have stared at this problem for 10 years.

"We've been measuring ED overcrowding for 10 years," he said.

"The situation has got worse in 2014. I think that is a direct result of the funding that was given to the health service in 2014, of the cutbacks, the contraction, delayed admissions, waiting lists have increased and the only way that people can get into hospital is through the emergency department.

"We have 850 people who are fit for discharge from our acute hospitals, they'll have no place to go, no support services in place."