'Unacceptable' number of people on trolleys as over 60 people waiting across Cork hospitals

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has said there has been an “unacceptable” number of patients on trolleys this week, as over 60 people were waiting on trolleys across Cork hospitals on Friday morning.

As of 8am on Friday morning, Cork University Hospital (CUH) had 35 people waiting on trolleys in the hospital’s Emergency Department (ED).

The Mercy University Hospital (MUH) had 25 people waiting on trolleys.

In Bantry General Hospital (BGH), there was one person on a trolley in a ward elsewhere in the hospital.

432 admitted patients were waiting for beds on Friday morning, of whom 338 patients were waiting in emergency departments and 94 were in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

A total of 2,150 patients have been on trolleys since Monday, January 17.

In light of the figures, the INMO called for all non-emergency activity to be curtailed in acute hospitals.

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said there has been “an unacceptable number of patients on trolleys this week”.

“Day after day we are seeing over double the amount of patients on trolleys compared to the same day in 2021.

“The directive from the Chief Executive of the HSE that was issued at the start of January for hospitals to curtail all non-emergency activity must be extended until the start of February in order to allow our members carry out their work safely.

“Covid is still very much a feature of the day-to-day work of our nurses and midwives. We are still seeing high numbers of Covid-related hospital admissions and nurses in our ICUs are treating very sick patients.

“While Government will today discuss a reopening of society, Covid is still very much working its way through our hospitals and healthcare settings,” she said.