The monthly figures compiled by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) show that numbers of patients on trolleys have almost doubled this October when compared to the same time period in 2020.
There has been more patients on trolleys this October in all three of the children’s hospitals than any other October. The figures show that there are five times as many children on trolleys compared to October 2020.
Nineteen hospitals have seen their trolley figures double compared to October 2020. There has also been record overcrowding for the month of October in Letterkenny University Hospital, University Hospital Kerry, Mayo University Hospital and Mercy University Hospital.
There is "cause for particular concern" in St Vincent’s University Hospital, University Hospital Tipperary, University Hospital Galway and Ennis Hospital which have all seen their trolley numbers increase ten-fold compared to last year.
Overall, there has been 54,456 people on trolleys so far this year compared to 45,038 people on trolleys in the same time period in 2020. This "rapid rise in trolley numbers is of grave concern to the INMO".
The hospitals with the highest numbers of patients on trolleys this month were:
- University Hospital Limerick: 1,369.
- University Hospital Letterkenny: 943.
- University Hospital Galway: 829.
- University Hospital Cork: 688.
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “This month’s trolley figures are an indication of what lies ahead for patients and staff in our health service if action is not taken. These figures come in the backdrop of rapidly increasing Covid cases, increased hospitalisations and an increased number of nurses and midwives becoming infected with Covid-19."
Ms Ní Sheaghdha also called on the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) to approve booster vaccines for healthcare workers at their meeting tomorrow.
“We urgently need to see action on ensuring that patient-facing healthcare workers have every protection possible to keep them safe as infection numbers are reaching the high numbers we saw earlier this year. We must see a recommendation from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee tomorrow on extending the vaccine booster to healthcare workers.
“At the start of the pandemic, the HSE said there would be zero tolerance of overcrowding. Our hospitals are no longer just full, they are overcrowded, and we have not seen any detailed plan from the HSE in terms of winter planning. Winter is no longer a time coming down the tracks, it is already here. We are calling on the HSE and Minister Donnelly to outline in detail this week what exactly they are planning for the months ahead and what capacity will be made available from the private sector.
“If the HSE is planning to cancel electives then this decision needs to be taken now, not when the crisis is unmanageable."
