Record July overcrowding sees 10,300 patients left without hospital beds

Figures from smaller hospitals also indicate a significant pressure on capacity, as fewer trolley numbers can reflect limited space in emergency departments and wards rather than lower demand. File picture

Hospitals have recorded their busiest July on record, with more than 10,300 patients left waiting on trolleys or chairs for a bed, prompting nurses to warn that the figures should serve as "a huge red flag" ahead of winter.

University Hospital Limerick was identified as operating at what the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation described as "major incident" levels of overcrowding.