THERE were six people waiting on trolleys at Kerry General Hospital on Friday, down from 17 the previous day and from 11 on Wednesday.

The figures come as the HSE issued a statement yesterday about the pressure the emergency department has been under this week.

“The Emergency Department at Kerry General Hospital (KGH) has been extremely busy this week and has been experiencing significant bed pressure due to the increased volume of patients for admission,” read the statement.

“Due to this increased level of activity and subsequent admissions, it is regrettable that some patients may experience a delay in being transferred from the Emergency Department to a hospital bed. Patient care is paramount in KGH and this situation is being treated as a priority by Hospital management and is being reviewed continuously.”

“Hospital management have requested that, where appropriate, the public contact their GP in the first instance and explore all other options available to them prior to attending the Emergency Department if their needs are not urgent.”

“Hospital Management wish to acknowledge the hard work, dedication and commitment of all of our staff during this busy time.  We also ask for the public’s forbearance during this time and assure all of our service users that we are doing everything possible to alleviate the situate,” the  statement concluded.