Highest trolley count at Limerick hospital on week of new overcrowding record

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick had the highest number of patients on trolleys on the same week the national overcrowding record was broken, it has emerged.

According to a report by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation this Friday evening, there were 203 patients being treated on emergency department trolleys and on additional trolleys or beds in the wards at UHL this week.

INMO also confirmed that the national overcrowding record was broken this week, with a total of 2,408 patients on trolleys during the first week of 2018.

On the first week of 2017, there were 213 patients being treated on trolleys at the Dooradoyle hospital.

The second highest rate of overcrowding this week was at St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, with 191 patients on trolleys, followed by Cork university Hospital with 136 patients.

The INMO met the HSE on Friday morning, and has confirmed that all hospital group CEOs - including UL Hospitals Group CEO, Prof Colette Cowan - have been advised by the HSE to meet with union at regional level “immediately”.

The new general secretary of the union, Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: 

“The INMO has also sought immediate engagement with the HSE/Department of Health, on the Nursing and Midwifery Funded Workforce Plan for 2018.  We have requested that this meeting happens within the next week”.