THERE were 128 patients waiting on trolleys at Kerry General Hospital in November, up from 72 in the previous month, according to figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

This represents an almost 80% increase and a whopping 250% increase on the November 2013 figure of 36.

The figures were revealed as the INMO calls upon the Department of Health, and the HSE, to declare the increasing levels of overcrowding, in the country’s emergency departments, a national emergency requiring an immediate, sustained and extensive response.

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The comparative figures, compiled by the INMO, for November this year compared to previous years, showed a 44% increase this year compared to November 2013 with 7,124 patients on trolleys nationwide.

It also showed the level of overcrowding is 53% worse than 2006 when the situation was declared a national emergency.

“The overcrowding of our country’s emergency departments is now, undoubtedly, a national emergency and must be viewed as a crisis,” said INMO General Secretary Liam Doran.

“We must stop pretending that patients can be properly looked after, in hospitals that have 10, 20, 30 and 40 people on trolleys, in addition to their normal workload.  We must also recognise that patients suffer a loss of dignity and privacy which should not be acceptable in this country in any place at any time.”

“This must now be declared a national emergency.  This must see additional funding, being allocated, above and beyond anything being spoken of in the recent Service Plan, so that closed beds can be opened, community supports increased and the additional staff required, to maintain patient care, dignity and privacy deployed without delay,” he continued.

The figures for patients waiting on trolleys in Kerry General Hospital for the month of November from 2006 to present are as follows.

• 2007 – 21

• 2008 – 52

• 2009 – 38

• 2010 – 71

• 2011 – 45

• 2012 – 57

• 2013 – 36

• 2014 – 128