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Highest number of patients on trolleys since start of the pandemic

506 admitted patients were waiting for beds this morning.

Updated: 2.50pm

The number of patients on hospital trolleys has reached its highest point since the beginning of of the pandemic, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. 

A total of 506 admitted patients were waiting for beds this morning, according to the union’s figures.

393 patients are waiting in the emergency department, while 113 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

The largest number was recorded in University Hospital Limerick, where there are 91 patients on trolleys – the highest daily figure for any hospital since the start of the pandemic.

Letterkenny University Hospital had 57 patients on trolleys this morning, with 21 within the emergency department and 36 on wards elsewhere.

 The worst-affected hospitals include:

  • University Hospital Limerick: 54
  • Letterkenny University Hospital: 57
  • Cork University Hospital: 46
  • University Hospital Galway: 29
  • Mercy University Hospital, Cork: 28
  • St James’ Hospital, Dublin: 27

There have previously been warnings from the union that overcrowding while Covid-19 remains present in hospitals is particulaly dangerous for staff and patients. 

According to the INMO, it records patients who may also be on chairs, in waiting rooms, or “simply wherever there’s space” in the hospital that morning. 

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said staff and patients are being put “at risk” by the the rising trolley numbers. 

“An INMO survey last week showed that over 90% of nurses and midwives are facing burnout. We have a workforce that is completely exhausted and today’s figures indicate that it is only going to get worse if overcrowding is allowed to escalate over the coming months.

She added: “The situation that existed in early 2020 is upon us again albeit for different reasons, and the same measures must be taken- curtailment of services and assistance from the private hospitals- an exhausted workforce cannot be asked to do the impossible.

“Following on from today’s Budget we must see a concrete plan for keeping patients and staff in our hospital safe over the winter months.”

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    Mute HearMeNow33
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:22 PM

    Let it go….

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    Mute Tommy Berry
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:29 PM

    @HearMeNow33: Are you mad? This will be wall to wall, for a few weeks.

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:09 PM

    @Tommy Berry: True. Can’t let a chance of some shinner bashing pass them by.

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    Mute Denis Logan
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    Dec 17th 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Seán Óg: says the shinnerbot

    24
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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:54 PM

    @Denis Logan: How predictable of you.

    13
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    Mute tirnanog1979
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:55 PM

    When is the Gardaí report on Charlie Flanagan potential Covid-19 breaches at Colm Horkan funeral

    114
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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:06 PM

    @tirnanog1979: no comparison and you know it

    65
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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:10 PM

    @Jane: Both funerals broke the regulations Jane and you know it.

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:17 PM

    @tirnanog1979: that would be Detective Garda Colm Horkan.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:18 PM

    @Seán Óg: SF could have sent representatives to Mr Storeys funeral as happened with Garda Horkans funeral and I don’t think anyone could have complained. Instead SF attended the funeral en masse, traveling from all over the country to do so and gathered in a graveyard to give a graveside oration where no burial was taking place.

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    Mute MickN
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:29 PM

    @Jane: Nonsense, they were as bad as each other

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 3:44 PM

    @Jane: Both funerals had large crowds and poor social distancing. If you admonish SF for the Storey funeral then surely you must do the same for Garda Horkan’s funeral. Your disliking of SF seems to be clouding your judgement Jane.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 4:05 PM

    @Seán Óg: but only one was attending in very large numbers by political party reps from all over the country. That’s the difference.
    Why is it even when SF are obviously wrong no criticism is allowed?
    Why do ye want to replace a crowd that dodge questions with another crowd that dodge questions?

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    Mute Angela McCarthy
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:06 PM

    @Jane: Critism is allowed Jane, but the obvious point you insist on ignoring, is that critism is selective and hypocritical. As was pointed out, you cant criticise one and not the other – but in your case, you did just that.

    To me, both were wrong. It would seem, that to you, there is only political captital to be made from criticising one.

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:44 PM

    @tirnanog1979: It ill behooves Shinners to comment on any Garda’s funeral —–They were responsible for quite a few in their time and indeed have been known to give rapturous acclaim to certain Garda’s murderers.

    23
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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 7:43 PM

    @Angela McCarthy: and you are ignoring the involvement of a political party in only one of the funerals. A political party that was involved in the making of the rules for everyone else in that jurisdiction.

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    Mute Angela McCarthy
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    Dec 17th 2020, 7:59 PM

    @Jane: A political party? dont you mean political parties, as more than one seems to be set on debating it. but not the other.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 8:20 PM

    @Angela McCarthy: not sure what you mean by that Angela. Only one party is in bother over it because only one party attended en masse. Bringing a crowd to the graveyard unnecessarily was just ridiculous.
    Everyone understands that Bobby Storey was an important figure in SF and as such no one would have batted an eyelid if some of the senior politicians in SF had attended as was done with Garda Horkans funeral.

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 9:02 PM

    @Jane: Where did I say no criticism is allowed? People attending both funerals broke government guidelines. So don’t cherry pick your outrage Jane. Call a spade a spade.

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    Mute Jane
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    Dec 17th 2020, 9:24 PM

    @Seán Óg: tell you what Sean you just continue to ignore what are the obvious differences between them as I’ve pointed out above. And continue to be outraged at all and any criticism leveled at SF.

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    Mute Seán Óg
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    Dec 17th 2020, 9:29 PM

    @Jane: I have criticised SF over the attendance of Bobby’s funeral. Because it was wrong to stage a funeral with those numbers in attendance. But you ignore the fact that large numbers attended the Garda’s funeral, including some politicians. Same rules for everyone Jane.

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    Mute Ger Murray
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:30 PM

    One rule for that crowd, Sur they are the “law” 8 cremations the same day and no one allowed .

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    Mute Airwave81
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    Dec 17th 2020, 2:34 PM

    @Ger Murray: who’s that crowd ?.

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    Mute Tim
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:37 PM

    @Airwave81: The uniformed woman and men that lined the streets

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    Mute Jimmy Mac
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    Dec 17th 2020, 4:54 PM

    Clear the decks, Nolan show can’t wait to ramp up the whole funeral again, rest in peace Big Bobby, a giant among men.

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    Mute frank_1916
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:25 PM

    now could they start investigating collusion with he uvf

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    Mute Brian D'Arcy
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    Dec 17th 2020, 7:37 PM

    The usual crowd talking about people in uniforms blah, blah, blah. What I saw were people in ordinary clothes coming out to see a true republican being laid yo rest, with a quarter of a million watching online which Sinn Féin Féin set up. The PSNI have already stated that there were no problems with it. Establishmemt supporters again trying to take away from their parties failure. No bank bailout? Ha ha

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    Mute Pat Andrews
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    Dec 17th 2020, 5:57 PM

    Just ticking a box… Nothing will happen

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