FIGURES from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation today reveal there are 21 people waiting on trolleys at University Hospital Kerry today.

These trolley watch numbers, which are not disputed by the HSE, are the highest ever recorded at UHK since the INMO started recording information ten years ago. Numbers had reached an all-time high last Tuesday when 18 patients were on trolleys. There were eight patients waiting on trolleys yesterday.

The HSE issued an appeal to the public last Tuesday for non-urgent cases to stay away from the Emergency Department where possible.