Midlands hospital at full capacity as INMO warns of worst overcrowding since pandemic began
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The Regional Hospital Mullingar has once again announced that it has implemented its full capacity protocol and it comes hot on the heels of the INMO warning of the worst hospital overcrowding since the Covid-19 pandemic began.
A spokesperson for the Ireland East Hospital Group stated, Regional Hospital Mullingar continues to be extremely busy with many seriously ill patients, many of whom are over 75 years of age and have a variety of complex healthcare needs. We apologise for the distress and inconvenience caused to patients or their loved ones who are experiencing long waiting times.
Hospitals facing worst overcrowding since onset of pandemic, nurses union says irishtimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from irishtimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Hospital overcrowding has risen to its worst level since the pandemic broke out, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
The union said 376 patients were on trolleys this morning - the highest figure since 5 March 2020 before the pandemic was confirmed.
The INMO claimed the redeployment of nursing staff to vaccination duties had triggered the closure of scaling back of certain day services, resulting in additional pressure on emergency departments.
It has called for student nurses and midwives to be appointed as paid vaccinators to reduce the redeployment of nursing staff.
The union insisted that infection control and social distancing were compromised when patients were on trolleys in corridors.
Ireland s hospitals are more overcrowded than at any point since pandemic began, INMO warns
376 admitted patients went without beds across Ireland this morning. By Hayley Halpin Tuesday 11 May 2021, 6:51 PM Tue 6:51 PM 29,930 Views 33 Comments
Image: Shutterstock
Image: Shutterstock
IRELAND’S HOSPITALS ARE more overcrowded than at any point over the last year, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has warned.
The INMO said 376 admitted patients went without beds across Ireland this morning, the highest figure since 5 March 2020.
The worst-hit hospitals include:
South Tipperary General Hospital – 23
The union warned that redeployment of staff was seeing day services closed or scaled back, which it claims is putting extra pressure on emergency departments.
The worst-hit hospitals are University Hospital Limerick, Letterkenny University Hospital in Donegal, Cork University Hospital, the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar and South Tipperary General Hospital.
The union warned that staff being redeployed to administer Covid-19 vaccines is causing day services to close or be scaled back, putting extra pressure on emergency departments.
Frontline staff have also voiced concern that infection control and social distancing is compromised when patients are on trolleys in corridors.
The INMO has said it is calling for urgent national intervention in University Hospital Limerick in particular, along with a strategy to reduce the volume of staff being redeployed for vaccinations.