Elderly patients waiting more than 24 hours among 123 people on trolleys in UHL as it grapples with overcrowding

The HSE’s own figures show 46 patients in total were on trolleys for more than 24 hours while waiting to be admitted to a hospital bed in UHL.

Overall, 80 patients on trolleys were spread across the hospital including the emergency department and another 32 people were on “surge” beds, which are normally used for day procedures.

Figures from the Irish Nurses Organisation (INMO) put the number on trolleys at 123, including 53 patients in the emergency department.

It comes just days after the harrowing inquest into the death of Aoife Johnston (16) in the hospital in December 2022 after her gruelling wait of more than 12 hours in the emergency department before being admitted to a bed and later ICU, before passing away from sepsis. It returned a verdict of medical misadventure.

Health officials insist major improvements have been made at the hospital since, including the employment of extra staff. HSE chief Bernard Gloster said the department is “much more safe now.”

He said the number of junior doctors in the department since the teenagers death has risen from 26 to 47, while the number of emergency consultants rose from 10 to 15. More nurses are also employed there.

He said he was satisfied that if people need emergency care, they should attend the hospital

“But I do understand the concern that people have against the backdrop of the very traumatic week that the public experienced. Our job is to work to build people’s confidence and safety assurance in the hospital.”

A 96-block of inpatient beds is due to be opened early next year. A 50-bed nursing home is among the community measures to come on stream in the coming months to relieve pressure and allow more discharges from the hospital.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 29th April 2024

Another report on the circumstances of Ms Johnston’s death is due at the end of next month by retired judge Frank Clarke.

A separate systems analysis report has already been carried out and it called for more staff as well as rostering of experienced emergency consultants for longer hours in the emergency department.

A spokesman for the hospital said: ”University Hospital Limerick has a cohort of 12 Emergency Medicine Consultants. Of these, typically five to seven consultants are rostered for duty in the emergency department during regular weekday working hours, 8am-5pm. After 5pm, there will typically be two consultants on duty up to 8pm, and frequently 10pm for those consultants on the new Public Only Consultant Contract.

"A consultant is on call every night and at weekends, supported by additional consultant shifts from 1-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays that have been filled as required over the past number of months. Consultants in emergency medicine are supported by 47 approved non-consultant hospital doctors r) at various grades (an increase of 21 NCHDs since January of 2023).”