Mid-September trolley crisis a sign of winter chaos to come - INMO

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for meaningful and targeted interventions to prevent another predictable winter of out of control overcrowding and cancellations of elective procedures.

This comes as 596 patients are without a bed in Irish hospitals today, including over 20 children under the age of 16.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said:

“Over 1,710 patients have been without a bed so far this week. These figures speak for themselves. We are facing into yet another completely predictable winter crisis unless urgent action is taken.

“The number of children under the age of sixteen on trolleys has been steadily increasing this month, with over 91 young patients without a bed since the beginning of September.

“As the Dáil returns from its summer break today, the political system must intervene in the now predictable overcrowding which faces our members and their patients this winter. The Minister for Health must publish a fully funded winter plan to coincide with the publication of Budget 2023. We cannot wait for this situation to get worse until we see meaningful and targeted interventions.

“Next Monday’s meeting of the Emergency Department Taskforce is extremely important. Practical solutions and measures that arise from this meeting must be implement immediately in order to prevent this entirely predictable surge.

“Over the coming months, we cannot see any obstruction when it comes to recruitment and retention measures. Nursing and midwifery vacancies need to be filled so that patients get the care they need.

“Unless action is taken now to stem the worst of overcrowding, we will be sleepwalking into another winter of crisis for our members and their patients.”