SPEAKING in the Dáil, Sinn Féin Limerick TD, Maurice Quinlivan, backed a call made by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) for an enquiry into the ongoing overcrowding issues at University Hospital Limerick.
The Sinn Féin TD commented:
“There is a real concern in Limerick about the continuous overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick. It is an issue that I have raised countless times in this chamber and in communications with the Minister, yet nothing seems to be done. Staff are at their wits end and the INMO have raised their concerns While there has been significant recruitment and 100 additional acute beds added the hospital still faces runaway overcrowding.”
“The staff at our hospital have done an incredible job throughout the pandemic, they work in difficult and overcrowded conditions. We gave them applause, but what has not been delivered is appropriate capacity to cope with the large numbers presenting at our A&E Department. “
Figures compiled by the INMO show that there have been in excess of 40 patients being treated on trolleys each day this week, with 953 patients having been treated on trolleys throughout April.
Deputy Quinlivan added:
“A 96-bed unit was committed to but only half of these will be new beds. The delivery of all 96 beds needs to be expedited. Day after day, the figures show that UHL remains the most overcrowded hospital in the state. The INMO wants to know what is going wrong and so do I. But more importantly, I would like to know what steps the government are taking to manage this issue?
Deputy Quinlivan concluded: “I back the call for HIQA to visit, investigate and make recommendations at UHL. I hope this will happen and I urged the Tánaiste in the Dail to support that call and commit to acting on any recommendations that HIQA make?”
