Parties seek action as 349 remain on trolleys

The number of patients on trolleys in accident and emergency departments around the State is 349 today, according to the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO).

Original figures had indicated that 365 patients were currently waiting for a bed in hospitals throughout the country, but this was revised after new figures were received from one hospital.

According to the INO, one of the worst affected was Letterkenny Hospital, where 34 patients are on trolleys. Wexford General Hospital was also badly affected with 28 people without beds. According to the INO, the hospital's A&E department can only accommodate four trolleys at a time. All elective surgery has been cancelled at the hospital. Clonmel Hospital had 17 patients on trolley, while Tallaght hospital had 32.

Speaking this afternoon, Liam Doran general secretary of the INO, said the overcrowding had reached "record levels".

"Three years after this problem was first identified, by the INO, the government and hospital managements must take joint responsibility for the reality that the problem is getting worse," he said.

"It is with regret that we have again experienced the spectre of hospital managements spending more time denying the extent of the problem than in mobilising all available operational resources to address what is a national emergency."

Opposition parties criticised the Government for failing to tackle A&E overcrowding.

Fine Gael's health spokesman, Dr Liam Twomey TD, accused the Government of failing to implement basic solutions such as more beds and frontline staff despite knowing about the overcrowding problem for over three years.

"Instead, we have seen the Government prioritise bureaucracies, which simply have not delivered," he said. "Spending on hospitals has increased by 73 per cent in the last five years but the crisis in our A&E Departments has got worse. It is worth noting that this is not because of a massive increase in numbers attending, in fact the numbers declined by 33,000 over the period."

Mr Twomey also said that of a promised €1.27 billion investment by 2011, only €25.5 million has been allocated in the past four years.

"The hard fact of the matter is that the only radical shift we have seen so far is a shift of the spotlight of blame away from the Minister," he added.

Labour TD Ms Liz McManus called for a number of measures to be introduced urgently, including a major increase in acute hospital beds and the use of spare capacity in nursing homes to alleviate pressure on hospitals.

Ms McManus also called for a health and safety review of all A&E departments, additional long-term community nursing units, and the provision of GP units.

"What is required now from the Tánaiste is a clear response and action on these measures rather than repeating her empty promises to address the A&E crisis," she added.