Winter health crisis: CUH medics urge Taoiseach to intervene

Nine clinical directors at Cork University Hospital write to Micheál Martin as Cork, Kerry, and Limerick hospitals come under pressure — even before the winter virus season kicks in

Hospital overcrowding is being attributed to inadequate resources as the national virus tracker appeared to show no unusual spikes in flu, covid-19, or RSV cases — yet. Stock picture: PA

Before winter has even arrived, the health service is already grappling with a hospital overcrowding crisis, with nearly 100 patients stuck waiting for more than 24 hours on trolleys in hospital emergency departments.

HSE data shows that seven of those waiting on trolleys for over 24 hours yesterday were aged over 75, with warnings that the situation will worsen in the weeks ahead.

International studies show vulnerable patients are more likely to die the longer they spend on trolleys.

In total, 720 people were waiting on trolleys for hospital beds across the country yesterday.

Of those, 126 were waiting on trolleys in Cork City — 90 at Cork University Hospital and 36 at the Mercy Hospital.

Eighteen people waited more than 24 hours at CUH, nine at the Mercy, and two at University Hospital Kerry. Another nine waited over a day in University Hospital Limerick.

The overcrowding details were revealed as it emerged that a group of nine clinical directors at CUH has urged Taoiseach Micheál Martin to intervene to get an independent assessment of staffing shortages at the hospital.

In an eight-page letter, the doctors called for the urgent approval of 172 priority posts as well as authorisation for staffing for 21 acute beds.

Hospitals crowded even before winter kicks in

Experts have blamed overcrowding across the country on inadequate resources, including a shortage of acute beds, as the national virus tracker appeared to show no unusual spikes in flu, covid-19, or RSV cases.

John Cronin, president of the Irish Association of Emergency Medicine, said the pressures are nationwide and that gaps in community care are exacerbating the problems by delaying transfers out of hospitals.

He warned that there has been “great difficulty” in filling vacant posts at hospitals, with central control over spending impacting the ability of hospitals to hire new staff.

“It’s just not happening in a lot of cases,” Dr Cronin said. 

On top of that, our emergency department presentations are going up and up. 

"We have an older population, a lot of patients with complex needs, and, unfortunately, our capacity isn’t meeting the demand.”

He highlighted the impact on patients of overcrowding.

“You’ve one excess death for every 72 patients who wait 12 hours or more for an inpatient bed once they’ve been admitted,” he said. “We’re definitely seeing a lot of flu or covid, certainly earlier than we expected over the last couple of weeks.”

Visitor restrictions in Kerry

At University Hospital Kerry, patients can only have one visitor daily for 15 minutes to help curb the spread of respiratory illnesses. 

“The public are asked to limit visits and to consider if their visit is really necessary at this time,” said a HSE South-West spokesperson.

CUH submitted a business case in November last year for additional staff to open 21 new beds to help address overcrowding issues.

The beds were allocated under the HSE’s national service plan for this year, but have yet to become operational, with an 11-month delay in approving funding to hire staff.

“To date, no funding approval has been received,” CUH chief executive Jennifer Kearney said in an answer to Social Democrats health spokesman Pádraig Rice.

'Badly-needed' hospital beds

Mr Rice called for immediate funding to help open “these badly needed beds”, and suggested a spat between the health minister and CUH management should not be a reason for further delays.

Is the minister for health going to allow these beds to sit idle just to prove a point?

“In the Government’s own national bed expansion plan, the greatest need was identified in CUH, with 341 extra beds required by 2031,” he said.

“Only 18 beds were delivered last year, and now an additional 21 are at risk of not opening this year thanks to this minister’s careless and cavalier approach to the staffing crisis in CUH.”

Separately, data shows 559 people have been delayed leaving hospitals due to a lack of stepdown care.

At CUH, there were 52 and 33 at St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

• Niamh Griffin, Health Correspondent