Monday, 25 April 2022 | 9.8°C Dublin
March has set a new record for trolley gridlock as the Covid-19 wave left hospitals struggling.
F igures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) revealed today that 11,001 patients were without hospital bed this month.
The worst-hit hospitals were: University Hospital Limerick with 1,671 patients on trollies; University Hospital Galway (947 patients); Letterkenny University Hospital (781 patients); Cork University Hospital (735 patients); St Vincent’s University Hospital (699 patients).
INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “When nurses and midwives use phrases like ‘out of control’ and ‘chaotic’ to describe hospital overcrowding we do not do so lightly.
"It has been the worst month for overcrowding since we started counting trolleys in 2006.”
She added: “It has been an extremely busy month for those working in our hospitals with over 37pc of those who have been on trolleys since the beginning of 2022 presenting to our hospitals in March.
“Hospitals are currently not safe for patients or for staff because of the level of overcrowding and Covid infection levels. We need clear and coherent public health advice from Government and senior public health officials.
"The public need to be made aware of why we need them to once again step up to the plate in order to protect those who are working on our frontlines.”
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