Nurses have reported a 8% reduction in the level of overcrowding at the region’s main hospital in October, compared to the same month last year.
The latest trolleywatch analysis from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show University Hospital Limerick remained by far the busiest in the country however.
According to INMO figures published today, 1,876 admitted patients were left waiting for a bed at UHL in October, which represents a reduction of 167 on the same month last year.
It’s the first time in six years that a decrease in numbers has been recorded by the nurses’ union at the Dooradoyle facility for the month of October.
UHL is still the most overcrowded health facility in the country though, with 750 and 887 more patients on trolleys last month than Cork and Galway University Hospitals respectively; the second two busiest hospitals in the country.
In contrast, Ennis General saw a sharp increase in trolley numbers, from 42 in October 2023, to 152 over the past five weeks.
Nationally, over 10,515 patients were treated on trolleys, chairs or in another inappropriate bed space in October according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
The nurses’ union says staffing is an issue across all hospitals and that not having a safe number of nursing staff in EDs, inpatient wards, long term care and community services continues to exacerbate the persistent problem of overcrowding.
It’s calling on the HSE and Government to protect frontline services by lifting the recruitment embargo immediately and accelerating the hiring process, which it says has been hindered by the current pay and numbers strategy.
