‘Extremely concerning’ - Nationwide overcrowding impacts Kilkenny hospital

Twenty-five patients were being treated without a bed at St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny on Thursday morning as overcrowding affected facilities in all corners of the country.

According to figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), nearly 3,500 people were treated on trolleys around the country in the week following the Bank Holiday with this number standing at 678 on Wednesday.

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Speaking about the concerning figures, INMO General Secretary Phil NÍ Sheagdha said: “The level of overcrowding in Irish hospitals this week has been extremely concerning. No part of the country seems to be immune from high levels of activity in our hospitals.”

“Our members have indicated to us that there have been very high levels of activity across hospital sites, this is borne out in the fact that over 3,415 have been admitted to hospital without a bed over the last week.”

“The Health Service Executive must outline what bespoke measures they are taking to ease hospital overcrowding at a time of year where the numbers should be decreasing, not at over 500 each day,” she concluded.

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