University Hospital Limerick peaks national overcrowding

OVERCROWDING at University Hospital Limerick is the highest in the country this Monday morning, according to new figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. 

The new figures show that there were 39 patients being treated on A&E trolleys and on additional trolleys or beds in the wards at the Dooradoyle facility. 

Since UHL peaked national overcrowding records in early January, with 66 patients being treated on trolleys, the numbers have dropped considerably, though the hospital is regularly the most overcrowded in the country. 

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 has 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 spokesperson for the UL Hospitals Group said.