Letter to the Editor: Count trolleys per hundred hospital beds

I read with interest the trolley count numbers in our public hospitals has exceeded 550 patient for the preceding two days (Irish Examiner, December 3).

In presenting the figures as raw data for each hospital, it is noted that University Hospital Limerick (UHL) had the highest trolley numbers at 71, followed by Cork University Hospital (CUH) at 60, and thirdly South Tipperary General Hospital (STGH) at 44.

What is lost in these dreadful numbers is the unmitigated misery suffered by both patients and caring staff in these daily situations, which has been trending upwards for decades, and is at its worst ever this year. Moreover, smaller hospitals with lower bed capacity can be disproportionately affected.

If trolley counts were calculated per hundred hospital beds, for example, a comparator between large and small hospitals could more readily be established. In the case of the December 3 report, the situation would be altered to give STGH 25, UHL 16, and CUH 10 trolley patients per 100 beds, which is the inverse of what was initially represented.

A better view nationally can also be envisioned. Using the INMO trolley count for the year so far dated November 29, where STGH was fourth of six hospitals and the only level three hospital mentioned. The other five were larger teaching hospitals again led by UHL.

Using the same calculation, the cumulative trolley count per hundred beds moves STGH to the top of the list.

Thus, whereas the INMO again reported raw data, it took no account of hospital capacity when interpreting the figures; citing UHL, CUH, UHG,STGH, UHW and MMH in that order for the cumulative trolley count this year.

When the common denominator of 100 beds is used, the order changes for the cumulative trolley count this year to STGH 3,647 trolley patients per hundred beds, UHL 2,951, CUH 1,619, UHW 1,451, UHG 1,180, and MMH 933.

Thus, STGH is in fact the worst impacted by trolleys cumulatively followed by four level four hospitals all outside of the greater Dublin area which is represented by the Mater in sixth place. I suggest that trolley count per hundred hospital beds should be the barometer used, and may better allow resource planning and allocation in the future.

Dr Niall Colwell

Cardiologist

Clonmel

Co Tipperary

This reader's opinion was first published in the print edition of The Irish Examiner on 5 December 2019