515 admitted patients are waiting for beds in the nation’s hospitals today according to the INMO Trolley Watch. 102 admitted patients are on trolleys in University Hospital Limerick(UHL) today – the most overcrowded acute hospital in Ireland. A new 3-person team is to work in the hospital for the next month in a bid to improve patient flow processes. Two of the people have experience in Waterford hospital which is considered to be one of the most efficient in managing patient flow procedures.
Tipperary TD Alan Kelly is not confident that the measure can solve the chronic overcrowding in the UHL Emergency Department. Due to overcrowding more than 700 scheduled procedures have been canceled across the Limerick hospital group during the first three months of this year. The TD revealed that 176 of cancellations were in Nenagh. This could have negative consequences for the patient involved as their treatment is delayed.
The Nenagh based TD remains strongly opposed to HSE plans to use the newly built 50 bed Community Nursing Unit in Nenagh to provide step down beds for patients in UHL to help improve bed capacity in Limerick. The HSE is to seek a private company to manage the Nenagh building which was completed last August.
