Major increase in numbers on trolleys at Tipperary’s main hospital

There’s been a 75% increase in the number of patients cared for on trolleys at South Tipp General last month compared to August 2018.

Latest figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show nearly 600 people admitted to the Clonmel hospital in August were left without a bed.

According to the INMO over 9,500 patients had to be cared for on trolleys at hospitals across the country in August – a 20% jump on the same month last year.

However the figures for the main hospitals serving Tipperary show a much higher increase year on year.

Front line staff at South Tipp General in Clonmel dealt with 597 patients without a bed in August compared with 342 for August 2018 – a rise of 75%. Compared to ten years ago the increase is a massive 1,709%.

At University Hospital Limerick the number on trolleys last month topped 1,000 for the first time ever for August with 1,197 – a jump of 23% year on year.

Nenagh General Hospital seldom has patients on trolleys due to the restructuring of hospital services in the Mid-West – however such is the pressure on the system at present 40 people were left without a bed there last month.

Between the three hospitals 1,834 patients had to be cared for on corridors around the Emergency Departments or in overflow areas of already full wards in August.

Meanwhile there’s a busy start to September for hospitals in the area with over 100 people being cared for on trolleys today.

UHL – which serves North Tipp, Clare and Limerick has 64 patients without a bed while South Tipp General has 42

In all 445 people are waiting on trolleys at hospitals across the country.