Almost 300 people had no bed in Naas Hospital in October
Nearly 300 people were admitted to Naas Hospital through the accident and emergency ward with no bed being available.
The figure of 295 is better than that of 320 in October 2021.
But it remains among the highest figures recorded for the month of October since nurses working in State hospitals began recording overcrowding figures across Ireland in 2006.
Naas Hospital also had 320 patients admitted without a bed being immediately available in October 2014 - but last months’ is the third worst.
In October 2007 a relatively modest 65 patients were without a bed.
The hospitals with the highest levels of overcrowding in October were: Cork University Hospital (1,342 patients), University Hospital Limerick (1,268) University Hospital Galway (810), St James’s Hospital (702) and Sligo University Hospital (700).
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “We are now in a situation that unless we see meaningful interventions from the HSE and Government, we are going to be in a perilous state this winter in our hospitals. We have seen three instances of over 600 people on trolleys in the past week alone. This is not sustainable for nurses, midwives and other patient-facing staff.
“Over 393 children went without a bed this month. Our members in paediatric hospitals are reporting that not only are we seeing more and more children presenting, but there are also less staff to deal with the demand. The safe staffing levels in one Dublin paediatric hospital are half of what they should be. This cannot continue further into the winter.
“Unsafe staffing levels are going to be a feature of this winter unless we see targeted recruitment and retention plans in each hospital to allow for more nurses and midwives to be recruited at the pace in which we need them, directors of nursing and midwifery in each hospital should have a greater role in recruitment.”
She further called on the Department of Health and the HSE for “meaningful interventions”.
This means that all capacity that is available to the State at this point must be made available until at least March.
“Our members and the patients they will be caring for must be assured that all beds that can be used, will be. We urgently need access to private hospital resources, increased staffing and a detailed timeline for the winter plan."