INMO say 42 patients on trolley beds at Letterkennny University Hospital

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) say that 42 admitted patients were on trolleys waiting on a proper bed at Letterkenny University Hospital this morning.

14 patients were located in the Emergency Department (ED) with the remaining 28 patients located around the hospital’s other wards.   

Sligo University Hospital (SUH) which serves south Dongeal had 34 patients waiting on trolleys, 23 in its ED and the remainder of patients elsewhere in a ward of the hospital.

SUH is also advising that visiting restrictions are in place on a number of wards due to COVID-19 and Norovirus outbreaks on site.

The hospital is currently dealing with a norovirus outbreak impacting two wards, with COVID-19 impacting two further wards.

Visiting to the affected wards is limited to compassionate grounds only and these visits should be arranged in advance with the nurse manager on the ward.

Given the severe impact of both Covid and norovirus on patients, the hospital is appealing to the public not to visit the site if they have symptoms. Visitors are also advised that they must use the alcohol hand gels supplied as they enter and leave the hospital, face masks are available for use throughout the hospital.

Nationally, 599 patients on trolleys on any given day in June is a symptom of insufficient bed capacity coupled with an unnecessary recruitment embargo on nursing staff across our hospitals according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said:

 “The level of overcrowding we have seen over the last six weeks in particular is a cause of concern for nurses and midwives. 

“We are now seeing a dangerous amount of patients on trolleys on wards across our hospitals, with 182 patients on trolleys outside of emergency departments today alone.

 “In the INMO’s pre-budget submission last year we called for an additional 2,500 beds to be provided by the end of 2024. This must now be an operational and political priority matched by the ending of the recruitment moratorium and intensive recruitment.”