No overcrowding fines for hospitals despite record numbers on trolleys

Not a single hospital has been fined for failure to implement a policy that is supposed to reduce overcrowding in emergency departments — at a time when numbers on trolleys are at record levels.

Not a single hospital has been fined for failure to implement a policy that is supposed to reduce overcrowding in emergency departments — at a time when numbers on trolleys are at record levels, writes Catherine Shanahan.

The HSE said “no fines have been issued in respect of the escalation framework” a policy brought in by mandatory national directive in November 2015.