Over 9,000 patients on trolleys in November

9,036 people were waiting for a bed in Irish hospitals in November, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

This is a drop from this time last year, when 10.561 people were without a bed in November 2024.

The hospital with the highest number of patients waiting on trolleys this month is University Hospital Limerick, with 1,273 people left without a bed.

At University Hospital Galway, 925 people were without a bed this month.

In Sligo University Hospital, 740 people were on trolleys in November.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Winter is a busy time in hospitals and in the community, and we are already being warned that this year’s flu strain has arrived early and is affecting hospital attendance and capacity.

“As frontline workers are exposed to viruses and experiencing increased pressure due to unfilled vacancies, the effects of short staffing are becoming even more stark for our members on the ground.

“We are calling for the ED Taskforce to begin modelling the national ED staffing requirements for this winter, particularly in light of high flu numbers and circulating winter illnesses.

“In addition, the HSE must provide a hospital-by-hospital breakdown of their plan for the coming months. If there are shortfalls in staffing and planning this winter, it will not be possible for our members to provide safe care.”

On Friday morning, there were 448 people on trolleys in hospitals across the country.

312 people are in the emergency department, with 136 elsewhere in the hospital.

At University Hospital Limerick, 73 people are without a bed.