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THE latest figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show that 10,641 patients went without a bed in Irish hospitals in September, the worst month of 2019 so far, according to the INMO.
The figures also show that September 2019 is the worst September for overcrowding on record. This is the case at University Hospital Kerry where there were 283 people waiting on trolleys in September, just one more than the previous record for last year.
Nationally, this is double the number of people on trolleys ten years ago. 101 of those waiting were children.
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INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “These are simply astonishing figures – especially outside of winter. It’s placing a massive strain on our members on the frontline and is seriously worsening patient care.
“We have now seen 80 consecutive days where the trolley figures are higher than 2018 – often by as much as 50%. This is equivalent to the bed capacity of Beaumont Hospital fifteen times over.
“This is beyond unsustainable. At the root of the problem is capacity. We need more hospital beds and more nurses and midwives to staff them. The HSE’s disastrous recruitment pause simply has to go.
“Ireland needs to reform its health service and Sláintecare is the clear path forward. But it needs to be more than reports and press conferences. It takes real investment and a shift towards primary care.”
