Nurses say trolley numbers at the region’s main hospital jumped by 400% in March, compared to the same month two years ago.
The latest analysis from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation shows University Hospital Limerick recorded the highest levels of overcrowding of any hospital in the country for this time of year.
1,671 patients were left waiting for beds at University Hospital Limerick over the course of the past month, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
This represents a jump of 612 or 58% on the same month last year.
When compared to two years ago, when the pandemic was beginning to take hold, the figures have increased by 400% however, with 334 patients waiting on trolleys in March 2020.
At Ennis General Hospital, figures increased to 19 in March just gone, a rise of 3 on the same month last year and 13 on the previous year.
Nationally, just over 11,000 patients were waiting on trolleys last month, which the INMO says has been the worst March for overcrowding in history.
The Nurses’ Union claims hospitals are currently not safe for patients or for staff because of the level of overcrowding and COVID infection levels.
They’re calling for what they describe as clear and coherent public health advice from Government and senior public health officials.
