'Extremely concerning': More than 3,400 patients on trolleys in the past week

The trolley figures, published by Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, show that there are 699 patients are on trolleys this morning. File picture

More than 3,400 people have had to be treated on trolleys in the country's hospitals over the last week, with nursing representatives describing the level of overcrowding as "extremely concerning”.

The latest daily trolley figures, published by Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, show that 3,415 patients have been treated without a bed since the Easter bank holiday, of whom 699 are on trolleys this morning.

University Hospital Limerick again reported the highest number of patients on trolleys at 119, followed by Sligo University Hospital with 56, and University Hospital Galway with 55.

Cork University Hospital also reported high numbers, with 51 patients, as well as Letterkenny University Hospital with 43.

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said no part of the country seems to be immune from high levels of activity in our hospitals.

Ms Ní Sheaghdha said:

The level of overcrowding in Irish hospitals this week has been extremely concerning.

“The Health Service Executive must outline what bespoke measures they are taking to ease hospital overcrowding at a time of year where the numbers should be decreasing, not at over 500 each day.

“The high levels of activity have gone under the radar; this must not be allowed to continue as we head into the summer months.” 

The daily trolley figures come as data from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) show that 765,848 people were on hospital waiting lists across the country at the end of March, of which 80,997 were children.