THERE were 72 patients waiting on trolleys in the wards and emergency department of Kerry General Hospital in October according to figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO).

This is down from the September figure of 91, but is up 20 on the October 2013 number.

Nationally, there was a 34% increase of patients waiting on trolleys, a trend which is deeply worrying as we come into the peak winter period according to INMO General Secretary Liam Doran.

“For the fourth month in a row the level of overcrowding, in emergency departments across the country, has continued to increase when compared to last year,” he said.

“We are now entering the peak winter period.  These hospitals, with severe and unacceptable levels of overcrowding, will simply not be able to cope with the inevitable increase in demand which will occur in the coming weeks,” he said.  “This is a critical situation and it requires immediate action.”

“The INMO is now calling upon the government, and the HSE, to immediately bring forward the €25 million, which is allocated to address delayed discharges in the 2015 budget, so that it is available, immediately, to provide additional beds, home care packages and frontline staff,” he continued.

The figures of patients waiting on trolleys during the month of October from 2007 to 2014 at Kerry General Hospital are:

October 2007 – 30

October 2008 – 69

October 2009 – 47

October 2010– 35

October 2011 – 30

October 2012 – 26

October 2013 – 52

October 2014 – 72