Irish hospitals break this year's overcrowding record with 669 people on trolleys

The most overcrowded hospital in the country is University Hospital Limerick with 80 people on trolleys. File picture: Dan Linehan

Overcrowding in Irish hospitals hit a new record for 2022 on Tuesday with almost 700 people waiting on trolleys across the health system. 

Trolley watch figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) show that 669 people are without a bed in hospitals across Ireland, with 28 of those waiting on trolleys being children. 

The most overcrowded hospital in the country is University Hospital Limerick with 80 people on trolleys, followed closely by Cork University Hospital with 72.

Letterkenny University Hospital and St James' Hospital both recorded 51 patients on trolleys, while there were 45 in University Hospital Galway and 35 in Sligo University Hospital.

Speaking about the record level of overcrowding today INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: "It is extremely concerning but not surprising that we have 669 patients on trolleys today. We have seen a 27% increase of patients on trolleys in the last week.

“A range of measures must be taken now in the short to medium term including the curtailment of all non-emergency, elective care. Capacity from the private sector must be provided immediately. There needs to be a laser focus on the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives."

Ms Ní Sheaghdha is urging hospitals to issue public statements to "encourage people to consider alternative care pathways in the community" and says hospitals should clearly outline "what the real-time waits to be admitted to hospital are."

Ms Ní Sheaghdha is also demanding that the Government take immediate action, stating: “We are now calling on the Health Service Executive, Minister for Health and the Health and Safety Authority to take immediate action in the worst hit spots. The specialist teams for Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Galway must be deployed today."

669 people including 28 children are on trolleys in Irish hospitals. This is the highest level of overcrowding we have seen in 2022!

We want to see:
▪️Non-emergency elective care curtailed
▪️Hospitals publish real-time admission times
▪️Extra capacity from the private sector pic.twitter.com/JPgw0CTTBc

— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) October 25, 2022

According to Ms Ní Sheaghdha, INMO members are operating in "truly unsafe care environments" and are "trying their best to care for" patients. The health and safety of members and patients "must take priority", she added.

“The HSE and Department of Health must do everything in their power to ensure that our hospitals are adequately staffed, and that each hospital has the ability to retain staff who are currently overwhelmed by their workload. We cannot afford to have unacceptably high nursing staffing vacancies coupled with an overcrowding crisis.

“If Government and HSE are serious about keeping Irish nurses in Irish hospitals then they must take immediate action on safe staffing, fast-tracking recruitment and getting private hospitals on the pitch now,” she concluded.