Comfort-seeking in trolley numbers instead of problem sensing in the care of older people 

Sending older adults directly to nursing homes in response to a trolley crisis will not meet their needs, warns Éidín Ní Shé

The OECD says Ireland has 2.9 hospital beds per 1,000 population, less than the average of 4.3. At 90%, Ireland has the highest bed occupancy rate in the OECD.

Welcome to trolley season. It's the annual activity where the only metric that matters is keeping the numbers at a level where the numbers do not explode across the media as breaking news. Towards the end of October, the annual flex commences. Talk of winter initiatives starts rolling out despite the reality that trolleys are a year-round reality.

As a person who teaches and researches healthcare management, it is often challenging for me to keep up with the new buzzwords and plans. However, this year, something new has been introduced that requires all our attention and understanding.