Sligo University Hospital ranks 4th for overcrowding nationwide

Over the course of 2025, Sligo University Hospital ranked fourth for overcrowding nationwide, with 8,004 patients recorded as being treated on trolleys during the year, new figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show.

Sligo University Hospital plays a critical role in delivering acute care to communities across Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Mayo and Roscommon, with its emergency department frequently operating under intense pressure. High ED attendances, delayed discharges and limited step-down facilities have all contributed to persistent overcrowding, leaving patients waiting on trolleys for admission.

The data forms part of the INMO’s TrolleyWatch monitoring, which tracks hospital overcrowding nationwide. In total, 114,029 patients, including 1,248 children, were recorded as being treated on trolleys across Ireland this year.

The INMO has described the figures as further evidence of a health system under sustained pressure and is calling for urgent action to address staffing shortages, bed capacity, and unsafe conditions in hospitals across the country.

Sligo University Hospital, a key facility within the Saolta Group, serves a large catchment area across the north-west. As a Model 3 hospital, it continues to face high demand in its emergency department, with insufficient inpatient beds leading to prolonged waits for admission.

Nationally, the scale of the crisis remains stark. More than 122,000 patients were treated on trolleys during 2024, underlining that overcrowding is not confined to any one region but reflects deep-rooted capacity issues across the public health system.

The INMO has repeatedly warned that persistent overcrowding compromises patient dignity and safety, while placing enormous strain on frontline nurses and midwives already operating in understaffed environments.

The organisation is renewing calls for sustained investment in hospital infrastructure, increased recruitment and retention of healthcare staff, and expanded community care services to reduce pressure on emergency departments.

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