551 people on hospital trolleys as flu outbreak worsens

Overcrowding in some hospitals is at record levels, as the number of patients on trolleys nationally remains high.

University Hospital Limerick (UHL) was the worst hospital in the State for overcrowding, with 55 patients waiting for admission in the emergency department and on wards. This is believed to be the highest figure recorded for the hospital.

Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown had 45 patients waiting for admission, while there were 46 patients on trolleys at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin – which has had a chronic overcrowding problem since the New Year.

The total number of patients waiting for admission was 551 nationally, slightly up on the 543 recorded on Monday and the fifth highest figure recorded since records began a decade ago.

UHL blamed its overcrowding on the older age profile of patients and the complexity of their cases, and a small number of winter vomiting bug cases.

A spokeswoman said an escalation plan was underway and patients were being transferred to Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals. Non-urgent elective surgery has been cancelled this week and extra rounds put on to identify patients who are fit for discharge.

Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has attributed the high figures to a big increase in the number of older people requiring admission and the enforced closure of beds in some hospitals because of a flu outbreak.

The Mater Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, Naas General Hospital, Letterkenny General Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda all had more than 30 patients waiting for admission to each yesterday. In contrast, the State's largest hospital, St James's in Dublin, had just five people on trolleys.

Mr Varadkar has called on people to use minor injury units rather than hospital emergency departments where possible.