Hundreds of people waiting for beds at Irish hospitals - INMO

Hundreds of people are waiting for beds at overcrowded Irish hospitals today (October 14). 

That's according to the latest report from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which revealed 382 people are waiting in emergency departments this morning with 79 in wards elsewhere. 

Cork University Hospital is the most overcrowded nationwide with 74 people waiting for a bed, followed by 71 at University Hospital Limerick, 40 at St Vincent's University Hospital, 35 at St James' Hospital and 34 at Tallaght University Hospital. 

Just 7 hospitals are free from overcrowding today, including Beaumont Hospital, Connolly Hospital, National Children's Hospital Tallaght, Cavan General Hospital, Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, Our Lady's Hospital Navan, and Portiuncula Hospital. 

Twenty eight people are waiting for a bed at Sligo University Hospital, with 21 at University Hospital Galway, 20 at Mercy University Hospital Cork and 16 at Letterkenny University Hospital. 

The INMO yesterday (October 13) called on the government to urgently implement a recruitment and retention plan ahead of the busy winter period. 

It comes following the publication of a HIQA inspection report into three hospitals including Cork University Hospital. 

Speaking yesterday, INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said, "Bespoke recruitment and retention measures are needed hospital by hospital this winter. The funding allocated in the Winter Plan to implement the Safe Staffing Framework is welcome to ensure that a safe nursing to patient staffing and skill mix ratio exists in each emergency department is key.

“As outlined in the HSE Winter Plan published this week, each ED should conduct an urgent analysis to identify and address gaps and risks, each hospital must move to undertake this process immediately." 

Assistant Director of Industrial Relations for Southern Region, Colm Porter, called HIQA's findings into Cork University Hospital "particularly stark".

He said, "On the day that HIQA carried out its inspection (June 15) 62 people were without a bed. Since then, over 4469 patients have been on trolleys in Cork University Hospital. The hospital is the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland today.

"The bed deficit that currently exists in both CUH and the wider Cork community is adding to the pressure in this Emergency Department. 

"HIQA’s report raises questions on the safety of staffing levels in CUH.  A bespoke taskforce is now needed to tackle the ongoing issues in Cork University Hospital, focusing on staffing and timely discharging of patients in order to improve patient flow.”