The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has called for an emergency plan to be activated for University Hospital Limerick.
This comes as 126 patients are on trolleys in the hospital, the highest number of patient overcrowding in any Irish hospital since 2006.
65 patients are on trolleys and 61 others have been accommodated in some ward of the hospital.
The Union says this level of overcrowding is dangerous for patients and staff and requires an immediate hospital group wide response.
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations, Mary Fogarty says the trolley number for Limerick in April means that the bed management system is completely broken and is asking for an emergency plan to be activated today.
The union wants elective admissions cancelled and Private hospitals to be urgently engaged by the HSE to address the waiting times for elective care and for investment to expand capacity in St John’s Hospital.
Today University Hospital Clonmel reports 20 patients on trolleys.
TMWR sought a response from management at UL hospital and is awaiting a detailed response – hospital management’s initial response is that the situation will be dealt with by the normal processes in operation.
