Highest number of patients on trolleys since start of the pandemic

506 admitted patients are waiting for beds this morning, according to today’s INMO Trolley Watch.

There are 506 admitted patients waiting for beds in hospitals across the country this morning, which is the highest number of patients on trolleys in one day since the start of the pandemic.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), 393 patients are waiting in the emergency department, while 113 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has the highest number of people trolleys this morning with 91 patients awaiting a bed.

91 patients on trolleys in UHL is the highest daily figure for any hospital since the start of the pandemic.

54 people are within the emergency department while 37 are elsewhere in the hospital.

Letterkenny University Hospital had 57 patients on trolleys this morning.

21 are within the emergency department which 36 are on wards elsewhere.

Cork University Hospital (CUH) today had 46 patients on trolleys, all of which are in the emergency department.

The INMO called for a "concrete plan" to keep patients and staff safe over the winter months.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said the rising trolley numbers are “very dangerous” and “putting staff and patients at risk”.

“Today’s trolley figures are the highest we have seen since March 2020. Rising trolley numbers are very dangerous. It is putting staff and patients at risk."

Last week, an INMO survey showed that over 90% of nurses and midwives are facing burnout.

“We have a workforce that is completely exhausted and today’s figures indicate that it is only going to get worse if overcrowding is allowed to escalate over the coming months," Phil Ní Sheaghdha continued.

“The situation that existed in early 2020 is upon us again albeit for different reasons, and the same measures must be taken- curtailment of services and assistance from the private hospitals- an exhausted workforce cannot be asked to do the impossible.

“Following on from today’s Budget we must see a concrete plan for keeping patients and staff in our hospital safe over the winter months.”