LUH was the fourth most over-crowded hospital in January

In January, Letterkenny University Hospital was the fourth most overcrowded hospital in Ireland. 

According to figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), there were 709 patients at LUH left without a bed last month.

The most overcrowded hospital was University Hospital Limerick with 2,073 patients without a hospital bed, followed by Cork University Hospital (1,632 patients); and University Hospital Galway (1,041 patients) respectively. 

“Another January has passed with hospital overcrowding remaining a serious problem in Irish hospitals,” INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said. “There were only three instances this month where less than 500 people were waiting on trolleys, chairs or other inappropriate bed spaces. 

“Hundreds of people are sick enough to be admitted to hospital each day but there is no bed for them. Some of the care environments are totally inappropriate, in some instances the care is provided on chairs. It is clear that capacity in the health system isn’t sufficient. 

“We have not seen a significant drop in the number of patients on trolleys. We need more beds and we need more patient-facing staff. The HSE must agree a realistic workforce plan which provides for sufficient nurses and midwives to be employed to provide safe care and plan for more beds to open. 

“Patient safety is of the utmost importance to our members, they want to be in a position to provide safe and timely care. It is the view of INMO members that hospital overcrowding has not improved. On each hospital site the occupancy rate is above 83% which means that the provision of safe care is compromised.”

Nationally, January 2024 has been the second worst January for hospital overcrowding since the INMO began counting trolleys in 2006.