No let up in Letterkenny Hospital trolley bed challenges for patients

For the second consecutive day Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) remains in the top three hospitals in Ireland that have recorded the highest number of admitted patients waiting on trolley beds.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said 34 admitted patients were waiting for beds this morning at LUH, up from 32 yesterday.

On Thursday, 14 patients were waiting in the LUH emergency department (ED), while a further 18 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

Today this had risen to 34 patients on trolley beds, with two fewer patients in LUH ED, but 22 in other wards distributed across the hospital. 

Nationally, LUH ranked third in terms of overcrowding on Thursday but had jumped to joint second with Cork University Hospital by Friday, with University Hospital Limerick consistently recording the highest number of patients on trolley beds. 

Commenting on today’s figures, INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: 

“Once again we are heading into a bank holiday weekend with an unacceptable amount of patients, particularly young children, being treated on trolleys or chairs. 

“St. Patrick’s weekend is always a very busy weekend for our members. Our members will be working short in many hospitals this weekend as so many patient-facing roles remain vacant. Nurses and midwives are now dealing with very real risks to patient and staff safety when roles continue to remain unfilled because of the moratorium.

“The INMO has made clear to HSE and Government the very real impacts the recruitment moratorium is having on our members and the patients they are trying their best to provide safe care to. They must now reverse their continued position that is leading to staff and patient safety being compromised.”

In a statement Saolta had already confirmed yesterday: "The Emergency Department at Letterkenny University Hospital has experienced very high levels of attendances this week and there is significant pressure on bed availability.

"Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity."

They also offered an apology to all those affected.