Covid-19: Zero ICU beds available at Cork's main hospitals

Cork University Hospital and the Mercy Hospital are among 13 acute hospitals across the country without any available ICU beds this week

Cork University Hospital and the Mercy Hospital are among 13 acute hospitals across the country without any available ICU beds this week as Covid-19 infections and hospital admissions continue to soar.

The second Covid-19 wave is putting pressure on acute hospitals around the country, as the number of people admitted to hospital surpassed 230 and the number of available intensive care beds fell to just 29 this week.

The daily number of cases in Cork has increased 10-fold since mid-September to reach 147 on Monday and 141 on Tuesday this week.

Of 28 acute hospitals around the country, 13 facilities, including Cork University Hospital, the Mercy Hospital, and University Hospital Kerry, did not have any available ICU beds on Tuesday, according to the latest HSE data.

The figures come as €22 billion was announced for the health service in Tuesday’s budget as well as plans to increase ICU beds to 321 by the end of 2021.

for the purposes of disease management to facilitate Covid-19 and non Covid-19 ventilation pathways”.

The HSE confirmed that the triggering surge capacity “for the purposes of disease management to facilitate Covid-19 and non Covid-19 ventilation pathways”.

Larger hospitals in the South/ South West Group have not triggered ICU surge capacity. There has been no ICU surge used in UL Hospitals Group to date.

The Saolta Group has triggered ICU surge capacity in Letterkenny University Hospital to enable separation of Covid and non-Covid patients,

A spokesperson for the HSE added that negotiations were ongoing to secure additional capacity through private hospitals.

The lack of beds, however, is compounded by recruitment issues, which a leading intensive care consultant said had stalled the opening of already funded ICU beds.

Dr Catherine Motherway, past-President of the Intensive Care Society, said CUH was “significantly challenged” in critical care capacity, in particular, as it is a regional centre for trauma and cardiothoracic care.

“Cork has a particular difficulty with critical care capacity. Internationally it is difficult to recruit for critical care, in particular nursing staff, and Cork has funded capacity that is not opened,” Dr Motherway said.

While welcoming the budget announcements she said it takes around six months to recruit staff and open new beds. 

"The additional capacity announced is very welcome; it will take some time to come on stream,” she said.

To alleviate pressure on the health service and nursing homes, Dr Motherway said, everyone has a role to play in flattening the second Covid-19 wave: “We’re all concerned about the rise in Covid cases and the rise in hospital numbers but the best thing people can do is to flatten the curve as they did in March, April and May.

"The only way to do that is to limit your social contacts, stop socialising, and keep your distance from people”.