There was an almost 20% increase in the number of patients waiting on trolleys in University Hospital Kerry in August, compared to the same month last year.
That’s according to figures from the Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation.
They show over 240 patients were waiting on trolleys in UHK during the eighth month of the year.
Nationally, over 8,000 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed during August.
Of these, 241 were waiting on trolleys at University Hospital Kerry throughout the month.
That’s an increase of 18.7% when compared to the previous year (2024), when 203 people were waiting for a bed at UHK during the month of August.
The figure stood at 314 in 2023, while there were 343 people without a bed in 2022 and a further 327 people waited on trolleys in UHK during August of 2021.
Back in 2009, just nine patients waited for a bed in UHK during August.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha, who is from Ventry, says the number of patients cared for on trolleys and the length of time spent on trolleys, particularly older people, has been a cause of concern this summer.
She says if the Government and HSE are serious about retaining those who already work in the health service, needless bureaucratic delays to recruitment in the community and hospital nursing services must be removed and meaningful action must be taken to ensure safe care conditions for both patients and staff.
