‘Catastrophic’ winter ahead for hospitals as trolley crisis deepens

THE Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has warned of a ‘catastrophic winter’ ahead as it reported 10,515 patients on trolleys in September.

That’s the second-worst September for overcrowding since the INMO began keeping records in 2006.

The top five most overcrowded hospitals were University Hospital Limerick (1,382 patients on trolleys); Cork University Hospital (1,260 patients); University Hospital Galway (1,032 patients); Sligo University Hospital (790 patients); and Letterkenny University Hospital (666 patients).

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: ‘It is clear from this month’s overcrowding figures that we are on a path to a catastrophic winter in our hospitals. It is unsafe for nurses and the patients they care for. Besides a leaked draft winter plan, we have no clear vision from healthcare leaders as to what the solution for this winter is.’

She said that nurses are quitting because of the overcrowding.

‘This week alone in a large teaching hospital in Dublin, over a dozen nurses working in a busy Emergency Department handed in their notice. Our members are now voting with their feet and saying they will not stand for another winter where they are demoralised, burnt out and abused in their workplace because of the excessive workloads.

‘Despite promises from senior hospital management that things have improved, University Hospital Limerick is once again the most overcrowded hospital in the country. The INMO visited the hospital this week and saw firsthand the conditions our members are working in. There is no dignity for patients who end up in UHL. Their care is no doubt being compromised because of the conditions.’

She said private hospitals should be used to deal with the overcrowding, similar to measures used during the pandemic.

The HSE said yesterday that emergency departments ‘continue to be extremely busy with high numbers of patients attending, many of whom present with complex needs requiring admission’.

A spokesman urged people not to show up at emergency departments unless truly necessary.

Initiatives are already being implemented as part of the National Service Plan to alleviate pressures in emergency care. These include additional capacity in beds and staffing and strengthening community care teams.

The spokesman said the HSE ‘has been working over the last number of months to deal with the challenges expected this winter, including detailed vaccination plans. We are finalising this plan with the Department of Health. Some measures are already being advanced, pending finalisation and agreement of the overall plan.’

INMO figures show that UHL continues to have the highest trolley figures in Ireland. A separate consultancy report commissioned by the UL Hospitals Group (ULHG) showed that the group will require an additional 302 inpatient beds by 2036, more use of private hospitals and extra staff, if it is to meet demands.

ULHG covers six hospitals – University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick, Nenagh Hospital, Ennis Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and St John’s Hospital (Voluntary).

The Deloitte ULHG Patient Flow Report, released yesterday, found that the UHL group provides care for a population of almost 390,000 people across Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary, with 15% of them over the age of 65.

By 2045 the midwest and west will jointly have the highest number of older citizens in the country, the report noted.

Current analysis shows ULHG to have the fewest inpatient beds per 1,000 population.

‘Nurses are voting with their feet’ ‘No dignity for patients in UHL’