FIGURES for patients waiting on trolleys for an in-hospital bed at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) last month are significantly lower than in August last year, however still remain the highest in the country.
That’s according to stats from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) which show 1,215 admitted patients waiting for in-hospital beds at University Hospital Limerick across the entire month of August.
That’s in comparison to 1,885 over the same month last year.
The next highest figures this past August were at Cork University Hospital (847), University Hospital Galway (748), and Sligo University Hospital.
UHL decided at the beginning of August to pause elective procedures and many outpatient appointments as part of a “reset” to take pressure off the busy emergency department.
This procedures and appointments have since been resumed, with the hospital saying that the reset is part of an overall plan to accommodate sick people in need of beds – an action which could be repeated if pressure comes on the emergency department for bedspace again.
The Mid Western Hospital Campaign said that there was “a sting in the tail’ of the announcement that services are resuming, given that “the hospital group said its plan allows for reductions in planned surgeries and care when there are significant surges through the UHL emergency department”.
“There are no time limits stated, which means that surgeries and appointments can be cancelled at short or no notice depending on how busy the emergency department is,” a statement from the group said.
