BREAKING: University Hospital Limerick records highest ever number on trolleys

UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick have recorded the highest-ever number of patients on trolleys today. 

According to the INMO's daily Trolley Watch figures, there are 97 patients without a bed today at the hospital. 

This is the highest number recorded in any Irish hospital since the union began compiling trolley figures.

54 patients are currently waiting for a bed in the Emergency Department while 43 are on trolleys elsewhere in the hospital. 

The previous highest numbers on trolleys at the hospital was 95, which was recorded in November last year. 

Mary Fogarty, INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations said: “Today’s trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick are extremely concerning. Time and time again, University Hospital Limerick is the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland.

“Despite major investment in capacity at the hospital, it is making no dent in the consistent overcrowding problem in the hospital.

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Overcrowding adds stress for staff and worsens patient care. It is high-risk in normal times, but even more so during a pandemic."

She continued: “The INMO is once again calling on HIQA to urgently investigate the overcrowding issue in the hospital and make recommendations.

“The patients and nurses at University Hospital Limerick deserve better than these conditions.

"It has been an extremely difficult 22 months since COVID first arrived on our shores but UHL was already overstretched without being dealt with the hand of a pandemic.

“The staff, patients and wider community in Limerick need to be assured that the long-standing issues at UHL will be resolved.”