Clare’s Fine Gael Senator admits that no-one can defend the overcrowding crisis at University Hospital Limerick.
Record numbers have been left waiting on trolleys at the region’s main hospital this week, as the country has been gripped by an extreme overcrowding crisis.
The latest INMO figures show the situation has eased somewhat at the Dooradoyle facility today, but it remains extremely busy, as Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill reports.
It’s day three of what’s been described by nurses union the INMO as a “severe period of overcrowding”.
There were 621 patients left waiting on trolleys at hospitals across the country this morning, down fro 760 the last two days.
The situation has eased locally too, but University Hospital Limerick remains extremely busy, with 63 patients left waiting for beds there this morning, 33 of those in the Emergency Department.
The overall figure is down from a record high of 92 on Monday.
The Health Minister has said the overcrowding crisis is unavoidable, something Clare’s Independent TD has rejected.
Dr Michael Harty, who’s Chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee says the whole country’s health system has suffered, on account of what he’s described as the Government’s failure to implement obvious solutions.
Clare’s Senator says no-one can defend the situation that has arisen at University Hospital Limerick.
Fine Gael’s Martin Conway is reassuring that a plan is in place to deal with the chronic levels of overcrowding there but he says it will take time.
The INMO is now calling for measures implemented at Drogheda and Beaumont hospitals, including planned additional recruitment and extra capacity to be adopted nationally, saying real progress has been made at those facilities.
The union has proposed a five-point plan to alleviate pressure, which it says can get underway today or by the end of the week at the latest.
