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THIS January was the worst ever for patients waiting on trolleys at University Hospital Kerry.
There were 418 patients on trolleys during the month, surpassing the previous high of 382 in January 2018, by around 10% and 40% up on last January’s figure of 297.
Nationwide, 12,024 admitted patients went without beds in Ireland’s hospitals this month, according to the analysis by the INMO. This is the second-worst month for overcrowding on record.
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The INMO is calling for political leaders to use the election to set out how they will fix the ongoing trolley crisis in Ireland’s hospitals.
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said: “To show real leadership on health, political leaders need to set out how they will grow capacity, recruit more staff, and really kickstart the Sláintecare reforms. It’s not rocket science: we know how to fix the health service. The plan is there. All we need is the investment and political will to back up manifesto promises.”
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Kerry, Cllr Pa Daly, has called on the General Manager of University Hospital Kerry to confirm, or otherwise, reports that the Medical Assement Unit and all but 6 beds in the day ward are to be closed.
“If these reports are accurate, and I hope that they are not, then the onging crisis in the Accident and Emercency Unit will get even worse,” said Cllr Daly.
“And closing any beds in the Day Ward will just add to already massive waiting lists at our hospital. We have written to the General Manager asking him to confirm, or otherwise, if there is any basis to these reports,” he added.
