'Urgent action' needed to prevent summer hospital trolley crisis

Eva Osborne

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has said that unless urgent action is taken, there will be a summer trolley crisis.

This comes as 524 patients are on trolleys on Tuesday, while 7,989 patients were treated on a trolley, chair, or in another inappropriate bed space in June.

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “It is extremely concerning that 524 patients are being treated on a trolley, chair, or in another inappropriate bed space on July 1st.

"Unless there is intense work to build community services, including an increase in public health nursing, community nursing and home help services we will be facing into a serious trolley crisis for the rest of summer heading into autumn.

“Nurses and their union should not have to be warning about trolley overcrowding in the height of summer when there are no traditional viral infections circulating.

"The HSE’s Pay and Numbers Strategy is working against developing community services and is counterproductive when it comes to alternative care pathways. The HSE must outline what steps they are taking to radically reduce overcrowding in each hospital.”

Trolley watch

As of Tuesday, 133 admitted patients were being treated on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick. 60 of these patients were in the emergency department, while 73 were being treated in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

At University Hospital Galway, 69 admitted patients were being treated on trolleys, while 30 were waiting on beds at Cork University Hospital.

28 admitted patients were being treated on trolleys at St Vincent's University Hospital, while 27 were on trolleys at Tallaght University Hospital.