University Hospital Limerick hit by major overcrowding

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick has been experiencing major overcrowding this week, according to figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation this Tuesday afternoon. 

According to the daily report, there were 45 patients being treated on trolleys in the emergency department and on additional trolleys and beds in the wards at the Dooradoyle facility. 

It has the second highest rate of overcrowding this Tuesday, behind Cork University Hospital, which has 48 patients being treated on trolleys. UHL had the worst rate of overcrowding on Monday morning, with 40 patients on trolleys. 

This high level of overcrowding comes after the announcement that 36 beds were to be opened between St John’s Hospital, Ennis and Nenagh hospitals. Senator Kieran O’Donnell said that these extra beds will “help alleviate the A&E crisis" present at UHL.

A “state-of-the-art” emergency department is expected to open this May, subject to a successful recruitment campaign and HSE funding. It will be three times the size of the current facility, and is expected to improve the patient and staff experience at the hospital, a spoeksperson for the UL Hospitals Group said.