Fivefold increase in the number of children on hospital trolleys

The INMO has expressed 'particular concern' over St Vincent’s University Hospital, University Hospital Tipperary, University Hospital Galway, and Ennis Hospital — all of which have seen their trolley numbers increase tenfold. 

The rapid rise in trolley numbers across the country has seen five times as many children waiting for beds in hospital during October compared to the same time last year.

That’s according to the monthly Trolley Watch figures compiled by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which show the number of patients on trolleys almost doubled during October when compared to the same time last year.

According to the nurses’ union, there were more patients on trolleys in all three of the children’s hospitals this month than in any other October.

Record overcrowding

Over the past month, there were 304 children waiting on trolleys at the National Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, and Temple Street, compared to 64 in October 2020.

Nationally, 19 hospitals saw their trolley figures double when compared to October 2020, and record overcrowding was seen in Letterkenny University Hospital, University Hospital Kerry, Mayo University Hospital,  and Mercy University Hospital in Cork.

Of “particular concern” are St Vincent’s University Hospital, University Hospital Tipperary, University Hospital Galway, and Ennis Hospital which have seen their trolley numbers increase tenfold compared to last year.

University Hospital Cork and University Hospital Limerick are among the hospitals with the highest numbers of patients on trolleys during October, with 688 and 1,369 respectively.

Overall, there has been 54,456 people on trolleys so far this year, compared to 45,038 during the same time period last year.

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This rapid rise in trolley numbers is of “grave concern” to the INMO.

These figures come against a “backdrop of rapidly increasing Covid cases, increased hospitalisations and an increased number of nurses and midwives becoming infected with Covid-19,” said Phil Ní Sheaghdha, INMO general secretary. 

"We urgently need to see action on ensuring that patient-facing healthcare workers have every protection possible to keep them safe as infection numbers are reaching the high numbers we saw earlier this year. We must see a recommendation from NIAC tomorrow on extending the vaccine booster to healthcare workers.

“At the start of the pandemic, the HSE said there would be zero tolerance of overcrowding,” Ms Ní Sheaghdha added.

“Our hospitals are no longer just full, they are overcrowded and we have not seen any detailed plan from the HSE in terms of winter planning. Winter is no longer a time coming down the tracks, it is already here." 

She said the union is calling on the HSE and health minister Stephen Donnelly to outline in detail this week what exactly they are planning for the months ahead and what capacity will be made available from the private sector.”