Cork University Hospital.
There are 98 patients in Cork University Hospital who are currently on a trolley today, the most ever recorded in the southern hospital.
This day last year saw just 24 people on trolleys in the same hospital.
This comes as 641 people are waiting for a hospital bed on trolleys across the health system on Tuesday, an increase of 74 on yesterday.
Deputy General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) Dr Edward Mathews said, “Our members are very concerned about their ability to provide safe care when they have to contend with rising numbers of admissions coupled with unsafe staffing levels”.
“We are beginning to see the number of patients being treated on a trolley, in a chair or in another inappropriate bed space rise rapidly. Increasing capacity in both acute and community settings and ensuring an adequate number of nursing and midwifery staff must be a budget priority for the Minister for Health”, Dr Mathews added.
“With an ageing population and record attendances at emergency hospitals, the need for a thriving nursing and midwifery workforce in both acute hospital and community settings has never been greater”.
From June to September there has been a 154pc increase in the number of patients on trolleys in Cork University hospital. Nationally, September saw 6,930 patients attending hospitals on trolleys.
The INMO plan to ballot its members in regards to the HSE’s block on recruitment and its General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said, “Over 2,000 much-needed nursing and midwifery posts have now been effectively abolished by the HSE. This means the safety of our members at work is severely compromised and their at work and their ability provide safe, appropriate and timely care is not possible”.
INMO members who are working in the public service will be balloted from October 14.
