Frustration over ‘Groundhog Day’ overcrowding at Cork hospitals 

The consistently high number of patients on trolleys in Cork hospitals, along with medical facilities across the country, is a source of frustration and concern to nurses and other medical staff, a spokesman for the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said, describing it as a ‘Groundhog Day’ situation with no resolution in sight.

INMO assistant director of industrial relations Colm Porter spoke to The Echo yesterday after the organisation revealed that out of 761 patients on trolleys in hospitals across the country, there were 53 patients on trolleys at Cork University Hospital, 27 at Mercy University Hospital, and nine at Bantry General Hospital.

“The figures are high, but the issue, the cause of frustration for our members working across Cork, is that we’re once again out talking about high trolley figures on the first Monday of January,” said Mr Porter.

“It’s one of those things we know is coming each year, but the unfortunate thing is that the trolley figures seem to stay pretty consistent when it comes to this time of year.

“It’s a real concern for nurses and midwives — their main priority is to provide safe care to patients but also to ensure their own health and wellbeing is protected.

“The fact that they are working once again in overcrowded conditions, where RSV and the flu is rife, is a big concern to them.”

Mr Porter said the current spell of cold weather would put additional pressure on the system, but said the most concerning issue was the lack of a clear path to resolve the situation.

“We’re here yet again. We could talk about January 2026 and we’re probably going to be in a similar position as we were in January 2024 — it’s kind of ‘Groundhog Day’ in a way.”

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha has called for an emergency national plan to deal with overcrowding in Irish hospitals.

She said: “It is frustrating for our members to see other parts of the public sector coming together so quickly to efficiently deal with the consequences of national weather warnings, yet they are left to deal with entirely predictable annual problems with no new solutions from their employer yet again.”

In a statement issued in response to a query from The Echo, an HSE spokesperson said that the number of admissions over Christmas was up 8.2% on the 2023 figure. However, they pointed out that the number of those on trolleys was down 11% in the same period in 2024 compared to 2023.

“The number of patients who waited longer than 24 hours [24-hour breaches] up to December 29 was 58,168, which was a reduction of 5.5% on the previous year,” said the spokesperson.

“We acknowledge that this number is still too high.”

The spokesperson added that the HSE “through the implementation of the health regions, has plans in place across its hospital and community services to support high attendances at its emergency departments”.