University Hospital Limerick (UHL) recorded the highest level of overcrowding in the country last month.
OVER 1,600 people were treated on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick last month, according to new data from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
In Limerick, University Hospital Limerick (UHL) recorded 1,675 patients waiting on trolleys throughout October, placing it well ahead of Cork University Hospital, which recorded 1,215, and University Hospital Galway at 1,106.
The INMO figures showed that there was a total of 12,672 patients treated without a bed in hospitals across Ireland during October, resulting in patients waiting on trolleys or in corridors.
INMO expressed that they were calling on the HSE to step in and take immediate action, especially on how many people were waiting on trolleys daily.
On October 28, 824 patients were without a bed and waiting on trolleys nationwide. It was highlighted that in 2006 the then Minister for Health, Mary Harney, declared 495 patients on trolleys a national emergency.
The INMO said, “The HSE cannot continue to operate on a ‘keep calm and carry on’ basis while patients and staff are exposed to unacceptable risks.”
Speaking on the current issue, General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said, “The HSE and Department of Health must be honest with the public about the dire situation facing the majority of our emergency departments. Patient safety must come first, and that means taking decisive action now to address overcrowding”.
Speaking about UHL once again making headlines for the wrong reasons, Social Democrats Councillor Elisa O’Donovan said, “ What frustrates me about these headlines is that they rarely reflect the dedication and professionalism of the people working inside the hospital. Our staff are doing their absolute best in a system that is under enormous pressure”.
In June, contracts were signed for a second 96 bed block, bringing the total number of beds in UHL to around 650, however, TD Conor Sheehan believes “the 96-bed block is not enough, the HIQUA review is clear, we need to build an entirely new hospital in the Mid-West”.
Ms O’Donovan believes staffing is the first thing that needs to be addressed to relieve some pressure in UHL. ” We need to recruit and retain healthcare workers, fill vacancies and ensure that staff have the resources and support to do their jobs safely.”
“We also need to invest much more in community healthcare. If patients can access appropriate treatment, rehabilitation and support outside the acute hospital setting, it can help reduce unnecessary admissions and delayed discharges.”
Mr Sheehan said, ” We need to see the HSE winter plan and lifting recruitment embargo. You cannot safely open new physical beds or surgical hubs without the permanent staff to run them. The HSE’s current restrictions on recruitment are causing us to bleed qualified staff while simultaneously spending over €21 million on expensive agency staff at UHL.”
Strikes are planning to go ahead on the 12th of November. Speaking on this, Ms O’Donovan said she will be standing alongside her colleagues again. “Healthcare workers do not take industrial action lightly. They enter these professions because they want to care for people and make a difference.”
“But there is enormous frustration among healthcare professionals about staffing levels, recruitment restrictions and the increasing demands being placed on services.”
“This isn’t simply about working conditions for healthcare staff. It’s about the quality and safety of care that patients receive”.