Clare TD spends 'last number of days' on trolley at University Hospital Limerick

FINE GAEL and Clare TD Joe Carey has spent the last number of days on a trolley at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

The Clare TD who was first elected in 2007 said he was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening by ambulance from home, and a 30-minute period where he could not breathe followed.

Deputy Carey said the incident was ironic as he had quit smoking cigarettes only 26 days ago.

University Hospital Limerick was the most overcrowded hospital nationwide in February

“This has never happened to me before and there is a battery of tests lined up for me. It appears to be an infection in my lung…” Deputy Carey said.

He made the announcement in a social media post where he said he is “getting great care despite being on a trolley”.

UHL has been the centre of the trolley crisis for the last number of weeks as the Limerick hospital is repeatedly seeing the highest number of patients waiting in trolleys both in the emergency department and other wards around the facility.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s (INMO) trolley watch statistics, UHL has 77 patients waiting for a bed throughout the hospital this Tuesday, the largest number in the country.

The national figure stands at 525, with UHL consisting of over 14% of the national trolley numbers.

Last Thursday saw 102 patients waiting on a trolley in the hospital, approaching the record of 126 which was recorded on Thursday, April 21, 2022.

Deputy Carey thanked all the nurses, doctors, porters, catering and cleaning staff at the hospital for their “kindness and help”.

“The ambulance crew were simply amazing and I can’t thank them enough for their professionalism and care.

“Hopefully I’ll be out and about before too long,” Deputy Carey added.