27 on trolleys at St Luke’s Hospital for Carlow-Kilkenny as INMO says action needed by HSE to address summer crisis

The number of patients waiting on a bed in St Luke’s Hospital has climbed again today.

27 people are on trolleys according to the daily report from the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation – that’s two more than the figure for Monday.

It puts St Luke’s among the five busiest hospitals in the country behind University Hospital Limerick (98), Cork University Hospital (78) and University Hospital Galway(43).

608 patients are on trolleys at hospitals around the country – the highest daily figure for June according to the INMO.

The fact that there are 608 patients without a bed in Irish hospitals at the end of June is a warning that unless the HSE and Department of Health tackle this issue head on now we are in for a very bleak autumn and winter in our hospitals.

👉https://t.co/H2iyG54XPs pic.twitter.com/VzL5l44vQ0

— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) June 28, 2022

Commenting on today’s figures, INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said it does not bode well for the winter months:

“The fact that there are 608 patients without a bed in Irish hospitals at the end of June is a warning that unless the HSE and Department of Health tackle this issue head on now we are in for a very bleak autumn and winter in our hospitals.

“Every passing day that we allow trolley numbers to continue to rise in summer is an acceptance that chronic overcrowding, sicker patients and burnout nurses and other healthcare workers are going to be the key features of our health service this winter”.