Hospital overcrowding 'a growing concern': Acute-hospitals boss

The HSE's assistant national director of acute hospitals has said overcrowding in emergency departments is "unacceptable" and a "growing concern".

Angela Fitzgerald was speaking after the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation announced that its members at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital have voted in favour of a work-to-rule over the issue.

The INMO said similar ballots would take place at more hospitals in the coming weeks and also reported that more than 560 patients were left on trolleys yesterday.

The HSE's Angela Fitzgerald disputed that figure - saying 460 was more accurate - but admitted overcrowding was the number one issue facing hospitals.

"We're very concerned," she said. "To come in at 460 is a concern. We worked on this over the weekend. We had the group[ CEOs on teleconferences yesterday to ensure that all of their escalation plans were in place."