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IT was the worst April on record for patients waiting on trolleys at University Hospital Kerry according to a new monthly analysis by the INMO.
There were 238 patients on trolleys during the month, up from 174 (+38%) last year which was the previous highest April figure at the hospital.
Nationwide there were 10,229 admitted patients forced to wait without hospital beds in April 2019 according to the figures.
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This is the highest ever number of patients on trolleys in April, an 8% increase on April last year and a 125% increase on April 2006, when figures began. Among the 10,229 patients were 106 children.
INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said: “This is the second month in 2019 where over 10,000 patients have been forced to wait without a bed. The crisis is without question worsening. Overcrowding hits two main groups directly: those who depend on public health services and those who work in them, providing the safest care they can in these conditions.
“We started the trolley count over a decade ago because of unacceptable overcrowding. The problem has more than doubled since then.”
