Harris Says More Needs To Be Done To Reduce Hospital Overcrowding

Health Minister Simon Harris admits the government needs to do more to reduce hospital overcrowding.

His view comes as 520 patients wait on trolleys at hospitals across the country.

The number is down on recent days, which saw a record high figure of 720 recorded on Monday and Tuesday.

No beds for 520 patients in Irish hospitals this morning.

Highest numbers of patients on trolleys are in:

UH #Limerick - 48 people
UH #Galway - 45 people
South #Tipperary GH - 44 people

Full trolley data available at https://t.co/J24nr9oVA7 pic.twitter.com/6x0AqvhPvl

— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) January 9, 2020

University Hospital Limerick is the worst affected facility with 48 people on trolleys.

That's followed by 45 at University Hospital Galway and 44 at South Tipperary General Hospital, according to the INMO.

Here's how the INMO's trolley watch figures have looked since the beginning of the year:

Health Minister Simon Harris says more beds were needed a long time ago.

He says "the reality of the situation is previous governments took 1,00 beds out of the health service.

Myself, during my time, Leo Varadkar during his time as health minister, have been putting those beds in/

We've to do more, and we've to do more as quickly as we possibly can"