UHL staff fearful of winter surges due to 'unacceptable' overcrowding

On August 1, 110 patients were waiting for a bed at UHL. And on two days in July, the hospital had 86 and 95 patients on trolleys. Stock picture

Frontline staff at University Hospital Limerick say they are increasingly fearful about what the winter will bring as the hospital struggles to cope with “unprecedented” August overcrowding.

More than a year since Health Minister Stephen Donnelly deployed a specialist HSE team to address chronic overcrowding, particularly in the emergency department, the hospital had 100 patients on trolleys on Wednesday. On August 1, 110 patients were waiting for a bed, while in July, the hospital had 86 and 95 patients on trolleys on two separate days.