Pressure on patient places at Midlands hospitals

Pressure on hospital places in the Midlands remains acute, with six admitted patients waiting for beds at Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe this morning (Tuesday).

The figure was reported in the daily 'trolley watch' round-up issued by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

It said five patients were awaiting beds in the emergency department in Ballinasloe, with one patient on a trolley elsewhere in the hospital.

Meanwhile, at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar there were 20 patients awaiting beds, 13 of whom were in its emergency department.

Nationally, there are 692 patients without a bed in Irish hospitals, a figure which INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said is a "major patient and staff safety risk".

“Any hospital with over 22 patients in its emergency department today, the average number of patients you can treat in a ward safely, should declare the level of overcrowding as a major incident. Hospitals should now deploy their major incident protocol.

“These hospitals should make the public aware of the level of overcrowding and that the public should seek alternative care arrangements.

“The INMO is extremely concerned about the safety of our members and the patients they are trying their best to provide safe and timely care to," the INMO General Secretary said.