The worst case of hospital overcrowding this year has been recorded today, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
The INMO says that 679 patients were waiting for beds at hospitals across the country this morning.
Not only is that number the highest daily figure in 2019 so far, but it's also the second-highest figure ever recorded.
The worst-affected hospitals today include:
- University Hospital Limerick: 63
- University Hospital Cork: 60
- Letterkenny University Hospital: 47
- South Tipperary General Hospital: 40
- Sligo University Hospital: 39
- University Hospital Waterford: 39
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, has hit out at the overcrowding.
She says “This is simply obscene. Winter has not even started, and Irish hospitals are overwhelmed. Our members are faced with an inhumane working environment, while patients are put at ever-increasing risk."
The INMO General Secretary is calling for extra emergency staffing to help tackle the problem.
