Election 2024: Health — Pace of progress not reflecting the emergency in our hospitals

The ongoing overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick is symptomatic of a shortage of beds in the Midwest and reflects a trend around the country that needs to be treated as an emergency by the next government, writes Niamh Griffin

At University Hospital Limerick, everyone from porters to nurses to consultants agrees bed numbers and space do not match patient numbers.

Hospitals are the visible tip of the iceberg in health services: they are easy to see when things are going well and also visible when a crisis hits.

Whoever the next health minister will be after the election, they will have their work cut out to meet expectations in this area.