Overcrowding levels at University Hospital Limerick return to highest in country

THE NUMBER of patients on trolleys in the A&E and the wards at University Hospital Limerick is the highest in the country this Wednesday morning, according to new figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. 

The daily report shows that there were 44 patients treated on trolleys on Wednesday, with 22 patients on A&E trolleys and 22 patients on additional trolleys or beds in the wards at the Dooradoyle facility. 

This is the first time in more than a week that UHL has reached the country’s highest overcrowding levels. Earlier this month, UHL peaked national records when it had 66 patients on trolleys in the A&E and the wards. 

Following two consecutive weeks of high overcrowding earlier this month, the UL Hospitals Group announced the opening of 36 additional beds in St John’s Hospital, Nenagh and Ennis hospitals. 

According to Senator Kieran O’Donnell, these new beds will help “alleviate the A&E crisis”. 

A new state-of-the-art emergency department is due to open this May 2017, subject to a successful recruitment campaign and funding from the HSE.