THERE were a massive 150 admitted patients waiting for an in-hospital bed at University Hospital Limerick today (Wednesday February 7), with nurses representatives warning the situation at the chronically overcrowded Limerick hospital is dangerously out of control.
The 150 figure represents almost one third of the total 438 non-psychiatric in-patient beds at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
65 of the patients reported by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s (INMO) Trolley Watch this morning are on trolleys in the emergency department, with 85 in overflow wards and other areas.
Today’s figures mark the worst day for hospital overcrowding in any Irish hospital since INMO began counting trolleys in 2006.
The organisation has called for measures to be put in place in the hospital to improve patient flow.
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations for the Mid West and Western regions, Mary Fogarty, said: “We have seen overcrowding records broken three times in the space of two weeks in University Hospital Limerick, today being a new high with over 150 people admitted to the hospital without a bed.”
Describing the overcrowding conditions as “out of control” and “dangerous”, Ms Fogarty said that “since the beginning of January, over 2,573 patients have been admitted to UHL without a bed”.
In a statement referring to yesterday’s INMO trolley count of 138, the hospital said : “As University Hospital Limerick continues to experience very high levels of activity, members of the public are being asked to consider all available care options before presenting to the Emergency Department (ED)”.
“At 8am on Tuesday morning, a total of 46 admitted patients were being accommodated on trolleys, in cubicles, and in single rooms in our emergency department and a further 42 admitted patients were being accommodated on trolleys on our inpatient wards.
“While we have seen a reduction nationally in the numbers of Covid-19 and flu patients in hospital, there are still high levels of respiratory illness in circulation and affecting our hospitals.
“The latest available national report shows that in the first three weeks of 2024, presentations to the ED at UHL increased by 28 per cent on last year and emergency admissions by 17 per cent. This trend is more pronounced still among the Over 75s with ED presentations having increased by 39 per cent in the first three weeks of the year and emergency admissions by 34 per cent.
“This trend has continued in recent days with an average of 240 daily presentations over the past seven days, an increase on 219 daily presentations during 2023, our busiest year on record.”
The hospital is advising patients to consider other options before coming to the ED, including accessing injury units at St John’s, Ennis, and Nenagh hospitals, contacting a GP, or availing of the services of ShannonDoc out of hours.
