Ireland’s hospital overcrowding crisis persists with nearly 8,200 patients forced to receive treatment on trolleys and in inappropriate spaces during May, according to new figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
The concerning statistics reveal that 75 children were among those admitted to hospital without proper bed accommodation, highlighting the severity of the ongoing capacity shortage across the health system.
Limerick Hospital Bears Heaviest Burden
University Hospital Limerick recorded the highest number of patients without beds, with 2,055 people treated in unsuitable conditions throughout May. The hospital’s figures represent more than a quarter of all trolley cases nationwide.
University Hospital Galway followed with 919 patients, while Cork University Hospital accommodated 673 patients without proper beds. St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin and Letterkenny University Hospital in Donegal completed the top five most overcrowded facilities, with 496 and 468 patients respectively.
Daily Crisis Levels Persist
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha expressed serious concern about the sustained nature of the crisis, noting that over 400 people are being treated inappropriately on a near-daily basis.
“The number of people on trolleys is still much too high,” Ní Sheaghdha said. “We are still seeing near daily instances of over 400 people being treated on trolleys, chairs or other inappropriate bed spaces every day.”
Regional Disparities Highlight System Failures
The nursing leader pointed to particularly acute problems in the Midwest and West regions, where hospitals lack adequate capacity relief mechanisms to manage overflow situations.
“We are yet again seeing unacceptable levels of overcrowding in the Midwest and West, where there is little to no capacity release valves to help ease overcrowding,” she explained. “The delivery of fully-staffed, additional capacity must be a priority for the HSE in these areas.”
Staff Safety and Patient Care Under Threat
Beyond patient welfare concerns, the INMO warned that persistent overcrowding is creating dangerous working conditions for healthcare staff and contributing to workforce retention problems.
“Persistent overcrowding does not just have an impact on patient outcomes, it also impacts nurse and midwife safety and wellbeing,” Ní Sheaghdha noted. “We know that when hospitals are overcrowded assaults are more regular and staff burnout and intention to leave rises.”
The organization is seeking proactive engagement with the Health Service Executive to address anticipated seasonal pressures and develop sustainable solutions to the capacity crisis.
The May figures underscore the ongoing strain on Ireland’s health system, with hospitals struggling to manage patient volumes despite continued investment in healthcare infrastructure and staffing.