IN an unprecedented move, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called for special measures to be taken, including the cancellation of all non-urgent elective care in University Hospital Limerick in light of huge trolley numbers and weather warnings in the Mid West region.
Over 352 patients have been on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick so far this week, with 134 admitted patients waiting for a bed on Tuesday alone.
And the Mid West Hospital Action Group has described the conditions for patients and staff as “intolerable” this week.
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations, Colm Porter said: “We know that when weather warnings are issued, the number of patients on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick increases.
“There is already an unacceptable and dangerous amount of patients on trolleys in UHL, 116 on Wednesday alone. The hospital is at an occupancy of 111 per cent, over 30 per cent above the recommended safe occupancy of 82-85 per cent.
He said that on Wednesday (November 20), 63 patients on trolleys outside of the emergency department in UHL, “is a blockage to moving patients out of the emergency department. Hospital management must now make it their focus to de-escalate the number of patients being admitted on trolleys. The aim has to be to reduce the number of patients on trolleys across the hospital”.
The INMO calling for a number of extraordinary measures to be implemented in the hospital immediately, “including the 24/7 attendance of adequate senior clinical staff, the immediate cessation of all non-urgent elective procedures, and diversion to minor injury units.
“The number of patients on trolleys in UHL have been dangerously high, while weather warnings are in place emergency care must be prioritised on the Dooradoyle campus.”
Meanwhile, the Mid West Hospital Campaign has issued a statement thanking those who contacted them “to alert us to the intolerable conditions in the Emergency Department at
UHL in recent days and in particular over the past 24 hours”.
The Campaign described reports of “chaos, with patients being constantly moved from chairs to trolleys to beds and back again.
“Chaos with wards having to take extra patients on trolleys to try and relieve capacity in the corridors and general areas in the ED.
“Chaos with a shortage of trolleys, a regular occurrence, and no space to accommodate any more and managers expressing their frustration in front of patients by shouting at staff”.
The statement said that “these are intolerable working conditions again for all frontline staff doctors, nurses, care assistants, porters, catering staff, cleaners and all other support staff.
Reacting to the crisis, MWHC election candidate Melanie Cleary said: “there were 134 patients recorded in the ED of UHL (on Tuesday).
“This brought the total on trolleys/chairs since the last general election to 113,408
“With 134 patients on trolleys in UHL ED and 32 patients in Nenagh Nursing Home which was taken over for UHL overflow and an additional 7 patients on trolleys in Ennis – it is clear that a new record has been set for the region.”
The campaign said that this is the legacy left to the people of the Mid West region since they closed Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s in 2009.
Ms. Cleary said: “Successive Governments have failed us. Candidates from all parties and none have over the past 12 months told us they support additional Emergency services for the region.”
Hospital management has been asked for a response to the INMO call.
