2021 was worst year on record for overcrowding at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny

Last year was the worst year on record for overcrowding at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny, according to figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

In 2010, the year record-keeping began at the local hospital, the TrolleyWatch count was 140. The figure increased thereafter and fluctuated up and down in the intervening decade. It surpassed 2,000 for the first time in 2017. In 2020, the figure was 1,278 and now has hit its highest ever, at 2,166 for 2021.

December 2021 alone saw a total of 321 people on trolleys. It was the third-worst December for overcrowding, behind that of 2019 and 2017.

Meanwhile, nationally, over 70,275 patients went without a bed in Irish hospitals in 2021, according to the figures which were published on Monday.

The union has branded this year’s figures as an 'unacceptable rise in overcrowding while we know this adds to the spread of Covid-19 in our hospitals'. This comes as the INMO’s figures show an increase of 31% patients on trolleys compared to the first year of the pandemic.

“The fact that we have seen the numbers of patients on trolleys rise by 31% during the second year of a pandemic is completely unacceptable. Hospital overcrowding should never be acceptable, especially when we have a highly transmissible virus," said INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha. 

“Radical action is now needed to curb the unacceptable levels of overcrowding in our hospitals. This is not a new phenomenon; the health service cannot continue to make the same decisions year in year out and expect different outcomes."

Ms Ní Sheaghdha said there are immediate short-term requirements that can be taken, including:

•Increasing care of sick non-emergency patients to the private sector, immediate review of pre- hospital and post discharge care to assist the pressures on acute public hospitals right now and for the next three weeks as predicted;

•The full implementation and funding of the of nursing and midwifery staffing review;

•Increase supports to provide nursing and midwifery led care in the community.

“We have a nursing and midwifery workforce that are running on empty. They are looking for some kind of indication from their employer that things will be different this year," she said.

"The commitment nurses and midwives have shown especially in the last month with the arrival of Omicron has been exemplary. While many staff are on Covid-related sick leave, others are cancelling leave and staying longer than they are rostered to ensure patients are looked after.

“The INMO has raised red flag, after red flag with the HSE and Government. We need to see urgent action by curtailing all non-emergency activity in our public hospitals.”