Hospitals see ‘chaotic overcrowding’ as 12,000 people didn’t have beds
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s (INMO) have said “it has been another month of chaotic overcrowding in our hospitals”, after releasing their latest TrolleyWatch figures.
The results of these figures have revealed that 12,624 people were on trolleys during the month of November, including 563 children.
When sharing the shocking numbers on social media, the INMO announced, “This is dangerous for staff and their patients. Our members expect the HSE and the Government to treat this issue as the emergency it is”.
It has been another month of chaotic overcrowding in our hospitals, with over 563 children going without a hospital bed.
This is dangerous for staff and their patients. Our members expect the HSE and the Government to treat this issue as the emergency it is. pic.twitter.com/W1gzEGxURf
— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) November 30, 2022
The most overcrowded hospitals include University Hospital Limerick (1596 patients), Cork University Hospital (1334 patients), Letterkenny University Hospital (1108 patients), Sligo University Hospital (783 patients) and Galway University Hospital (703 patients).
The General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, released a statement saying, “We have seen yet another chaotic month in Irish hospitals, we have only had two days this month where there has been less than 500 people admitted to hospital without an inpatient bed”.
“For the first time we have had over 563 children admitted without a bed in our hospitals. This cannot continue. The children’s hospitals are experiencing severe staffing shortages with up to 45% staffing deficits in some sites, and long-standing vacancies in nurse manager roles”.
She continued, “This is reflected in very high numbers of children waiting on trolleys across the CHI sites, accompanied by relatives in very cramped and overcrowded spaces. It is now commonplace that up to 40 sick children a day have to wait for a bed, while nurses in the hospitals struggle to provide safe care”.
“This is not only dangerous for staff and for patients it is simply no way to safely treat sick children who are admitted to hospital. It also places a further burden on families who have to experience long waits while accompanying a sick child, potentially overnight”.
Phil went on to describe the scenes at hospitals as “disgraceful”, before stating the HSE needs to respond to the “urgent matter” by recruiting more staff, focusing on accommodation and working on capacity of hospitals.
“We do not want to be put in a position where care is compromised due to inaction from Government and the HSE”.
