HSE CEO advises people to avoid emergency departments in areas if at all possible

More than 150 people were stuck on trolleys for 24 hours-plus in overcrowded hospitals as they waited for a bed on Monday, including 28 people over the age of 75. File picture

More than 150 people were stuck on trolleys for 24 hours-plus in overcrowded hospitals as they waited for a bed on Monday, including 28 people over the age of 75, amid worsening conditions in emergency departments.

The Irish Patients Association also warned of a “systematic patient safety risk” linked to hospital waiting lists, estimating that nearly 118,000 patients are waiting longer than a year for treatment.