CORK University Hospital was denied increased funding from the HSE to open an additional 31-bed medical ward and provide staffing for it to deal with increased demand and overcrowding.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has claimed that the hospital sought additional funding for the ward and staff as part of its winter plan but that its request was denied by the HSE at national level.

Speaking to The Echo, INMO Industrial Relations Officer for Cork Liam Conway, said that CUH received only part of the funding they had sought in the local winter plan.

He revealed that CUH had sought funding for the additional beds and staff.

“This was not approved at national level,” he said, adding there was no “funding for additional staffing or bed capacity”.

The INMO has been calling for increased bed capacity at CUH to alleviate overcrowding and trolley pressure.

More than 50 patients were left waiting for a bed at the hospital yesterday.

It was revealed in recent days that almost €1 million has been allocated for a winter plan for Cork University Hospital (CUH), Mercy University Hospital (MUH) and University Hospital Kerry (UHK), as well as Cork Kerry Community Healthcare.

The allocation represents almost 15% of the acute winter plan budget set out by the HSE and, while it will not open more acute hospital beds, the plan will see some hospitals, including those in Cork/Kerry, buying private community and acute beds to speed up discharges and free up beds at the hospitals.

The €986,000 allocated to the Cork/Kerry team will also be put towards aids and appliances to assist in timely discharge; the development of frailty area to identify and facilitate early discharge; more A&E registrars to support patient flow and reduce patient experience time.