'A dangerous and unacceptable figure': 640 patients waiting for beds in Irish hospitals

There are 640 patients waiting for beds in Irish hospitals this morning.

The figures, released by the INMO, show that 10 of 640 patients without beds are under 16, with 8 on trolleys in Temple Street Children’s University Hospital.

The number is up on yesterday's figure which, when

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The worst-hit hospitals today are:

• University Hospital Limerick - 72
• Cork University Hospital - 64
• St Vincent’s University Hospital, Dublin – 46
• University Hospital Galway - 41
• Mayo University Hospital - 38

"This is a dangerous and unacceptable figure, with worryingly high numbers of patients without beds across the country," said Phil Ní Sheaghdha, INMO General Secretary.

"When Ireland votes later this week, health will rightly be a major electoral priority.

"All parties and political leaders must commit to lifting the recruitment freeze, funding safe staffing levels, and fully implementing the Sláintecare reform package.

"This is an intolerable situation for vulnerable patients and frontline workers alike. Nobody should have to endure this in a modern health service."

In response to the overcrowding, the INMO is calling on politicians to:

• Immediately revoking the HSE’s recruitment freeze on frontline staff
• Reversing plan to remove 220 elderly beds from public health service
• Fully funding and expanding the Safe Staffing Framework
• Fully implementing the Sláintecare reforms

Earlier this year, Irish hospitals saw two of the worst days of overcrowding on record.

On January 6 and 7, there were 760 patients on trolleys.

This surpassed the previous record of 714, which occurred during the Beast from the East storm in March 2018.