Elderly patients to be treated at home in bid to tackle hospital overcrowding 

University Hospital Limerick's emergency department has consistently been the most overcrowded in the country in recent years.

A programme that allows paramedics to treat elderly patients at home instead of taking them to hospital is set to launch within weeks in Limerick.

University Hospital Limerick's emergency department has consistently been the most overcrowded in the country in recent years and was the subject of a highly critical inspection report last June, which has led to increased efforts to tackle overcrowding.