Political intervention needed to tackle trolley chaos says INMO

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for direct ministerial intervention in order to tackle the trolley crisis.

This comes as the union has recorded 654 patients on trolleys today, Wednesday, March 23. 

The top 5 overcrowded hospitals include:

1. University Hospital Limerick (100 patients)

2. Letterkenny University Hospital (54 patients)

3. Cork University Hospital (50 patients)

4. University Hospital Galway (46 patients)

5. St. Luke’s General Hospital, Kilkenny (43 patients)

Locally, there are 35 patients on trolleys this morning in Sligo University Hospital and 12 in Cavan General Hospital.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “After record overcrowding in our hospitals yesterday, there has been no let-up in pressure in our hospitals. With nearly 1,400 COVID cases in our hospitals as well as the huge levels of overcrowding, it is not acceptable to our members that there has not been direct intervention from government to alleviate this problem.

“Our members have been sounding the alarm to Government every day about the chronic overcrowding. The situation we now find ourselves in deserves immediate political intervention. It is not good enough for members of Government to comment on the situation our members find themselves in, we need to see direct action that will ease the pressure starting with the curtailing of non-emergency elective activity.

“The situation in University Hospital Limerick is of particular concern to the INMO, as the number of patients without beds in the hospital has gone above 100 for the second time in two months. Overcrowding adds stress for staff and worsens patient care. It is high-risk in normal times, but even more so during a pandemic. The INMO is once again calling on HIQA to urgently investigate the overcrowding issue in the hospital and make recommendations. 

“INMO members from emergency departments across the country met Minister Donnelly two weeks ago to outline what steps need to be taken to alleviate the enormous pressure they are under. The Minister must take action today.”