INMO reveal 654 patients are waiting for hospital beds nationwide

654 patients around Ireland are currently waiting for hospital beds. 

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Trolley Watch this morning, there are 446 patients waiting in emergency departments and another 208 patients waiting in wards.

The INMO revealed that there were a total of 640 patients without beds yesterday and this number has now risen again today to 654. 

University Hospital Limerick is one of the hospitals that have been impacted the worst as they have 110 patients waiting for hospital beds. 

Cork University Hospital has 88 patients waiting, while University Hospital Galway has 65 waiting for a bed. 

When speaking about the issues of overcrowding in hospitals around the country, the INMO revealed that ‘de-escalation action is urgently needed’, in a message shared on X, formally known as Twitter.

“The INMO calls on the HSE and other public sector healthcare employers to immediately take extraordinary action to ensure all barriers to providing safe care are removed”, they explained at the time. 

Earlier this month, INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha released a statement about the ‘worrying rise’ in the number of patients that were admitted to hospitals without a bed. 

The General Secretary explained, “The worrying but predictable rise in the number of patients who have been admitted to hospital without a bed needs immediate de-escalation action. We are seeing high numbers of patients on trolleys in some of our smaller hospitals which is very high risk for patients in these areas”.

“Our members want to be able to provide safe care to patients but also be assured that their own health and wellbeing is being protected – neither are guaranteed when they are working in overcrowded conditions where respiratory infections are rife”.

Ni Sheaghdha added, “The HSE and other public sector healthcare employers must assure nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers and indeed the public at large that they are taking extraordinary action to ensure that all barriers to providing safe care at this time are removed”.