20% increase in demand for CUH emergency department

CORK University Hospital has acknowledged a 20% increase in demand for the emergency department (ED) compared to this time last year, and said this has led to 'a large number of patients having to endure lengthy waiting times' in recent days.

It comes as the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) highlighted “out of control” hospital overcrowding that is “not normal” for this time of year.

Eighty-nine people were on trolleys in Cork hospitals yesterday, with 74 of these in CUH, latest figures from the INMO show. Fifty-eight of these were in the ED and 16 were on a trolley in a ward or elsewhere.

CUH was the second-most overcrowded hospital in the country yesterday, after University Hospital Limerick. The two hospitals were the only two in Ireland where patients over 75 years of age had been waiting more than 24 hours to be seen — this was the case for two patients at CUH.

“The ED at CUH is currently experiencing circa 20% increase in demand compared to this time in 2023, with the last two days having been particularly busy,” a spokesperson for South South-West Hospital Group told The Echo.

“Despite this, CUH has managed to improve their unscheduled care performance over previous years and continues to ensure the sickest patients are assessed and treated promptly. CUH wishes to apologise to all patients who continue to be affected by long waiting periods at the hospital’s ED,” the spokesperson added.

“The hospital has a long-standing challenge with acute inpatient bed capacity on site which unfortunately has resulted in a large number of patients having to endure lengthy waiting times in the ED awaiting admission. Staff work very hard to provide ongoing safe care to all patients who await admission, and CUH is working with HSE colleagues regionally and nationally to address this.”

Meanwhile, according to the HSE, there were also 60 delayed transfers of care in Cork hospitals, meaning there are patients ready for discharge who have completed their acute inpatient hospital care but are still occupying a bed. These are usually people awaiting transfer to a nursing home, but due to a lot of closures of nursing home beds during the pandemic, these places can be scarce in Cork.

There were 40 delayed discharges in CUH yesterday, with 11 in the Mercy, four in South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, three in Mallow, and two in Bantry.

The number of patients who have been admitted to hospital without a bed this week has been “out of control”, INMO director of professional services Tony Fitzpatrick said.

“This level of unacceptable overcrowding, coupled with the fact that nurses and midwives are constantly working short in many emergency departments and wards because of the HSE’s recruitment freeze, is bad news for patient and staff safety.”

Vacancies that are arising because of staff retiring, leaving, or going on maternity leave are remaining unfilled due to this recruitment freeze, he said, adding that this “is having a detrimental impact on staff morale and wellbeing”.

“This level of overcrowding warrants a serious response from the HSE and individual hospital groups, and cannot be allowed to continue into the summer,” Mr Fitzpatrick warned.