KILDARE: 182 people admitted to hospital without a bed last month

There were 182 patients without a bed having been admitted to Naas General Hospital in July.

This was less than the number recorded for July last year (257) but considerably in excess of the 100 patients admitted without a bed being immediately available in July 2021.

Just a single patient had no bed at Tullamore Hospital compared with the July 20022 total of 72.

At Portlaoise Hospital there were 93 patients without a a bed - up from 65 from the previous July.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, which monitors the overcrowding levels, noted some 7,832 patients, including 138 children, went without a bed in Irish hospitals this July.

And this represents a  10% increase in the same time period in 2022. The INMO has warned that the HSE must view this as an indication of what is now inevitable this winter and must act accordingly. 

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “The fact that we have seen over 7,832 patients on trolleys in July is a red flag warning for the autumn and winter ahead.

 “The HSE must set out very clearly what measures it intends to take to reduce the levels of overcrowding in our hospitals in the coming months. 

“Over 72,391 patients have been on trolleys so far this year, a ten per cent increase on the same period last year, this is a bleak sign heading into the winter months. It has been reported that the Cabinet has signed off on a year-round plan for the HSE, the INMO will be now seeking details of the  staff support measures it contains as staff cannot be expected to just endure these conditions for another winter.”

Ms Ní Sheaghdha noted that HIQ inspection reports show that there is a pattern emerging across the vast majority of hospitals that unsafe levels of staffing is compromising both patient and staff safety. 

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“Safe staffing underpinned by legislation must go hand-in-hand with any plan produced to tackle year-round overcrowding.

“As the HSE and individual hospital groups prepare for winter, infection control measures must be assessed ahead of predictable winter infection surges. We have already seen hospitals such as University Hospital Kerry review their mask-wearing and visitor policies because of infection outbreaks in July. A dynamic infection control plan is needed across all hospital sites as airborne viruses will no doubt play a major factor in hospital overcrowding in the months ahead.”

Top 5 most overcrowded hospitals last month were University Hospital Limerick (1,824 patients); Sligo University Hospital (615); St Vincent’s University Hospital (592); Cork University Hospital (591) and University Hospital Galway (541).