Trolley figures continue to climb

The number of patients on hospital trolleys is continuing to rise and was 470 this morning, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

The INMO says this is the highest trolley wait figure for some time.

An INMO spokeswoman pointed out that the trolley figure reached 496 in March 2006, after which Health Minister Mary Harney declared the emergency department situation a national emergency and an action plan was launched.

The highest number on trolleys was at Beaumont, where the figure was 47 this morning.

Fine Gael health spokesman Dr James Reilly said the HSE's plan to close hundreds of beds as part of its service plan this year was "madcap", given that so many people were currently being accommodated on trolleys in hospitals due to lack of bed capacity.

He said already , 900 beds were removed from the hospital system last year.

[Posted: Thu 14/01/2010]