University Hospital Limerick had most number of patients on trolley in the country in November

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick had the most number of patients on trolleys in the country this month in what was the worst November for hospital overcrowding. 

Over 12,624 people have been without beds in Irish hospitals this month according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s TrolleyWatch figures.

University Hospital Limerick topped the list of figures with 1596 patients on trolleys there in November. 

On Wednesday, there were 99 people waiting for a bed at UHL, 59 of these were in the Emergency Department and 40 were elsewhere in the hospital. 

Speaking about the figures, INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: "We have seen yet another chaotic month in Irish hospitals, we have only had two days this month where there has been less than 500 people admitted to hospital without an inpatient bed.

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"For the first time we have had over 563 children admitted without a bed in our hospitals. This cannot continue.

"The children’s hospitals are experiencing severe staffing shortages with up to 45% staffing deficits in some sites, and long-standing vacancies in nurse manager roles.

"This is reflected in very high numbers of children waiting on trolleys across the CHI sites, accompanied by relatives in very cramped and overcrowded spaces."

Ms Ní Sheaghdha said that the wait times are placing a further burden on families who accompany sick children, potentially overnight. 

"This is reflected in very high numbers of children waiting on trolleys across the CHI sites, accompanied by relatives in very cramped and overcrowded spaces

"It is now commonplace that up to 40 sick children a day have to wait for a bed, while nurses in the hospitals struggle to provide safe care.

"This is not only dangerous for staff and for patients it is simply no way to safely treat sick children who are admitted to hospital".

Limerick Sinn Féin TD, Maurice Quinlivan also commented on the figures saying: "This increase in presentations should have been planned for and it wasn’t.

"There is an immediate need for increased capacity at the hospital. There continues to be a litany of issues that need to be addressed at University Hospital Limerick.

"The UHL Emergency Department doesn’t have the capacity to cater for all presentations and this has a knock-on effect across the hospital.

"Elective surgeries are cancelled, and patients are treated in impossible conditions being left in busy corridors on trollies in an environment that staff have said is difficult to manage".