Hospitals serving The Avondhu readership area such as Cork University Hospital (CUH), University Hospital Limerick (UHL), South Tipperary General Hospital (STGH) and University Hospital Waterford (UHW), were among the four worst hospitals in the country with regard to patients waiting on trolleys on Wednesday of this week (January 4). This is according to figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).
UHL, for the second day in a row, had the most patients on trolleys in the State. There were 66 people waiting on trolleys to be admitted to the hospital on Wednesday morning. That was 21 more people than the next most crowded hospital.
STGH had some 41 people waiting on trolleys, making it the third worst hospital on the INMO’s trolly watch list. UHW was joint fourth with Midland Regional Portlaoise (34 people on trolleys) while CUH had 32 people on trolleys yesterday morning.
From Tuesday to Wednesday there was an increase of 10 patients being treated on trolleys at both UHL and STGH. There were seven more people waiting on trolleys at UHW on Wednesday in comparison to Tuesday. CUH had one less person yesterday on a trolley than the day before.
On Tuesday, figures released by the INMO showed that a record number of 612 people were waiting on trolleys nationwide. This figure marginally decreased to 602 on Wednesday morning. Under the HSE’s target, the number of patients on trolleys on any given day should not exceed 236.
Minister for Health Simon Harris, said during the week that the country’s hospitals were facing ‘a very challenging time’ due to the flu outbreak. Mr Harris added he will now begin a bed-capacity review, but it is important that there is also extra staff.
, University Hospital Limerick (UHL), South Tipperary General Hosp){kind=link}