More than 5,000 patients left waiting for a bed at St Luke’s General hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny so far this year

More than 5,000 patients were left waiting for beds due to overcrowding at St Luke’s hospital so far this year.

The latest figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) show that the local hospital for Carlow and Kilkenny had 5,143 admitted patients on trolleys in 2022.

They’re among more than a 100,000, including more than 1,900 children, had to go without beds.

This is the earliest that this high number of admitted patients has ever been recorded and the trade union is calling for urgent action ahead of the winter.

Six people were waiting locally on Monday morning, down from 23 the previous Friday.