‘10,000 patients on trolleys at UHL this year is disgraceful’: Maurice Quinlivan

MORE THAN 10,000 people have now waited on trolleys so far this year at the University Hospital Limerick.

The overcrowding crisis in UHL continues “unabated” with 56 people waiting on trolleys this Wednesday November 14, according to Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan.  

“This is an extremely high number of people on trolleys in one hospital in any given day, but what is even more shocking is that this number now means 10,028 people have waited on trolleys at UHL so far this year.” 

“This is a disgraceful situation and this record high represents a new low in our health service.” 

“Our local hospital is in a state of constant crisis; the full capacity protocol, a supposed emergency measure, is being used every single day, despite its function to be for emergencies only.” 

“We have already surpassed the total number of people that were on trollies last year by 1,159 with six more weeks to go this should no longer be tolerated.” 

Meanwhile, managers in the region had had a two-week ban placed on leave in January, when overcrowding is typically at its worst. 

Health executives and operational management teams will not be able to book leave between January 2 to 16, according to reports.