Published: Wednesday, 27th January, 2010 5:30pm

Patient safety threatened by midlands bed crisis - nurses

by Danielle Harney

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The number of patients waiting on trolleys in Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar has reached "unprecedented levels" and is endangering patients' lives, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

The union's regional rep said that the closure of 34 beds between August and November last year has led to "severe overcrowding" in the hospital this month, with the number of people on trolleys reaching new highs within the past week.

"It's quiet clear that the reason the number has gone through the roof is because of bed closures. A&E cannot cope," said Lorraine Monaghan, the Midlands Representative of the INMO. "Mullingar has not seen the number of patients on trolleys at this level before.

It is unprecedented, it's not sustainable and it's dangerous for staff and patients. Staff are over-worked and over-stretched. Patients are at risk even though the staff are tying to provide a high level of care."

The number of people waiting on trolleys in Mullingar reached a record 30 on Monday this week. Ms Monaghan said this was "not acceptable" and that the unfortunate people waiting on trolleys had no privacy and no dignity. She warned that unless the HSE and management decide to re-open the beds, the problem will only get worse.

"Patients lives are endangered when there is such a high number in A&E," she added. "An observation ward has opened but they're putting A&E patients in there now and they're also moving A&E patients into a day ward. But that's just hiding the problem."

She added there were real concerns over moving patients into these wards, from an infection control perspective, while staff are also under pressure to discharge other patients as early as possible, which could lead to further medical complications for them and presenting back in A&E.

Last August, management closed 16 beds in Mullingar as a temporary measure, because traditionally, hospitals are quieter in the summer and this action saved the hospital money. However, these beds have not yet re-opened. In November, management then amalgamated two wards, with the loss of 18 beds.

The number of beds in the day ward did increase by 13, however this is because of a general HSE policy to increase the number of day case patients and cut down on in-patients.

"It's in no way a substitute for the 34 beds," added Ms Monaghan. "It's the busiest time of the year, with people getting flu and vomiting bugs. Always during December, January, February and March, the number of patients seeking treatment is on the increase."

She said that this time last year, there was a peak of ten patients on trolleys in Mullingar and back then, that number was considered "appalling".

However, Ms Monaghan defended the union's work to contract stance which started on Monday, and said it won't affect patient care or exacerbate the trolley problem.

"We would look for minimal disruption to patients, and nurses and midwives will continue to deliver patient care.

They will not take on additional duties and there will be no goodwill beyond rostered duty. Once their shift is over, they will leave," she said.

The INMO are due to meet with hospital management and the HSE in the coming weeks over the bed shortages.

Meanwhile in Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, there were 16 people waiting on trolleys on Monday of this week. The most up to date figures show that 13 beds were closed last August when St John's Ward was shut.

Last year's bed closures also affected St Vincent's Hospital in Athlone, with a total of 40 beds closed between the three elderly care units of St Vincent's, St Mary's, Mullingar and St Joseph's, Longford.

Nationwide, the number of patients waiting on trolleys last Wednesday morning reached 500, the highest ever recorded in the INMO's trolley watch statistics. Dave Hughes, Deputy General Secretary of the INMO, called for government action to re-open closed beds in the hospitals affected by such overcrowding and to allow the HSE to employ staff to look after the patients.