‘Unacceptable’ that 500 patients had to wait for hospital beds over Easter weekend

Stephen McMahon of the Irish Patients Association said having 500 patients waiting on trolleys or chairs may 'appear to be the new normal' but that it is not acceptable. Stock picture: Getty

It is “unacceptable” to have almost 500 people waiting for a hospital bed despite the HSE committing extra supports over the bank holiday weekend, the Irish Patients Association has said.

The latest trolley watch issued by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation shows 495 people spent Monday night on trolleys or chairs in Irish hospitals.

Patients in Munster hospitals were once again the worst affected, with 93 people waiting on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick and 54 in Cork University Hospital.

A further 10 were waiting at the Mercy University Hospital, two in Clonmel Hospital, and one at University Hospital Waterford.

The Irish Patients Association’s Stephen McMahon said the figures are worrying, saying: 

Numbers of 500 which now appear to be the new normal are being seen as acceptable, and they’re not. They’re unsafe levels of overcrowding in the emergency departments.

“While a lot of effort went into holding the line over the Easter holiday, we are still at levels that in the past would have called for a lot more scrutiny.”

In January, the pressures reached a boiling point when 931 patients were on trolleys on just one day.

The Irish Examiner yesterday reported almost 14,500 people left hospital emergency departments (EDs) without being treated in the first two months of 2023.

Over the last few months, the HSE has brought in new working practices and funding in an effort to reduce the pressures. This was boosted at the weekend, HSE CEO Bernard Gloster said.

However, Mr McMahon said patients are not yet seeing significant improvements from this.

“The other fear is that the public are distracted by hearing about so many people who walk out of the ED before being seen, when with trolleys we are talking about people who have been seen and have been deemed necessary to be admitted,” he said. “That’s a problem.”

He added the issue of people leaving without being treated also needs to be addressed, with data needed on why people make this decision. 

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The INMO figures show 369 patients were waiting in the emergency departments, and a further 126 people on trolleys were moved to wards meaning those wards were also carrying extra patients.

Nurses have called for a multi-year plan to tackle the crisis, saying it is not enough to see the problems for patients as winter issues only anymore.