A record-high number of people are waiting on trolleys at Cork University Hospital today.
According to the INMO's Trolley watch figures, 73 patients are waiting for a bed at the Cork facility.
Meanwhile, 620 admitted patients are on trolleys at the country's main hospitals.
No beds for 620 people this morning, with 73 people waiting on trolleys in #Cork University Hospital and 57 people waiting in UH #Limerick.
Full trolley data available at https://t.co/QpFoi5Y62G pic.twitter.com/Zy3YQb7YPS
— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) January 3, 2020
433 are waiting in the emergency department, while 187 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.
The worst-hit hospitals today are:
Cork University Hospital –73
University Hospital Limerick – 57
University Hospital Galway – 35
Mayo University Hospital - 35
Commenting on the record-high 73 patients on trolleys in Cork University Hospital, Liam Conway, INMO Industrial Relations Officer for CUH, said:
"This is a crisis situation. Our members on the frontline are describing the situation as 'horrendous' for both staff and patients.
"The bulk of patients without beds are over 75, often at one of the most vulnerable points in their lives.
"We are calling for the hospital to fully implement de-escalation policies. This means cancelling electives, stopping non-emergency admissions, and sourcing extra bed capacity from the private and public sector services. This de-escalation should continue next week, until the hospital is stabilised."
