Tallaght Hospital among top five hospitals experiencing overcrowding in past month

Tallaght Hospital is among the top five hospitals in the country experiencing overcrowding in the past month according to the latest figures released by the Irish Nurse and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

The latest figures also confirm that, in the first nine months of 2017, a record number of 73,556 admitted patients, were on trolleys, which again represents a 7% increase, on 2016, and a 94% increase on the same nine months in 2007.

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At that time the overcrowding situation was declared a national emergency.

In the month of September, Tallaght Hospital had more patients (448) on trolleys awaiting beds than any other hospital in the capital.

The INMO is now calling on HIQA and the Health and Safety Authority to carry out unannounced inspections of overcrowded hospitals in the interests of patients and staff.

Speaking this morning INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said: “This record level of overcrowding, as detailed in the latest trolley/ward watch figures, when combined with the abject failure of the HSE to ensure safe staffing, in these overcrowded departments, must be recognised as a deepening crisis requiring immediate attention by a number of agencies.

“It is quite clear that, in many hospitals, the daily situation is beyond breaking point with patients left without dignity and privacy.

“Furthermore, due to the failure to employ additional staff, consistent with an agreed dependency tool and best practice, the care of those patients is being compromised.”