Hospital overcrowding figures have dropped following two consecutive days where 760 people were waiting on trolleys.
According to the INMO, 621 patients are waiting for beds this morning.
The organisation says today’s figures are higher than any day in January of last year.
No beds for 621 patients in Irish hospitals this morning.
Highest numbers of patients on trolleys are in:
UH #Limerick - 63 people
UH #Galway - 46 people#Cork UH - 43 peopleFull trolley data available at https://t.co/J24nr9oVA7 pic.twitter.com/dR7860EeOi
— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) January 8, 2020
The hospitals with the highest levels of overcrowding today include:
• University Hospital Limerick – 63
• University Hospital Galway – 46
• Cork University Hospital – 43
• South Tipperary General Hospital – 39
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said:
“We need to keep moving to resolve this crisis. The INMO has proposed a five-point plan to alleviate pressure. All of these actions could be taken today or by the end of the week at the latest."
The INMO wants the HSE to do the following:
1. Immediately sanction frontline recruitment and restore hiring powers to hospitals and hospital groups
2. Declare a major incident at worst-hit hospitals
3. Source additional bed capacity in private, voluntary and community sectors
4. Refocus hospital capacity to dealing with emergency admissions
5. Confirm previously agreed funding for 2020 rollout of Safe Staffing Framework
