412 patients without a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital in March

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has confirmed that 412 patients went without a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital in March.

The news comes after a week in which the INMO brought the Health Service Executive's (HSE) recruitment freeze to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

Figures released by the INMO show that some 412 patients at LUH in March went without a hospital bed – including 25 on Thursday.

The number is down from 534 last year.

The INMO has become increasingly concerned at the matter of the HSE recruitment moratorium.

“The fact is that nurses and midwives will be working short in wards that have significant vacancies due to the HSE recruitment moratorium,” INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said on Wednesday's talks.

“INMO officials were joined by experienced Directors and Assistant Directors of Nursing at the WRC yesterday to give the real human impact the recruitment freeze is having on patients, nurses and midwives. Progress was made at the WRC and talks will continue.”

Ní Sheaghdha says that nurses are becoming 'more and more concerned' at providing services in what is described as a 'constantly overcrowded and a progressively under-staffed service'.

A total of 9,856 patients had to wait on trolleys at hospitals across the country in March.

Ní Sheaghdha said: “Practically all hospitals are running short because of the HSE recruitment freeze which is having a detrimental impact on patient and staff safety.

“This recruitment moratorium of frontline patient-facing staff cannot and should not continue.

“The recruitment moratorium as it stands poses very serious health and safety risks to nurses and midwives who find themselves working short continuously.”