Major overcrowding at UHL and STGH

Photo © Pat Flynn

There are almost as many people on trolleys in hospitals serving Tipperary as there are in the entire Eastern Region.

Over 70 patients are without a bed today between University Hospital Limerick and South Tipp General.

A total of 50 people are waiting for a bed at University Hospital Limerick this afternoon.

30 of these are being cared for on trolleys around the Emergency Department.

A further 20 are in overflow areas of wards at the hospital which serves North Tipperary, Limerick and Clare.

This compares to a total of 25 at the Mater which is Dublin’s busiest hospital today.

Overcrowding is also a major problem at South Tipp General in Clonmel.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation 21 people who have been admitted to the hospital are without a bed making it one of the busiest in the country today.

14 of these are on trolleys while 7 are in overflow areas of already full wards.

In all there are 294 patients without a bed at hospitals across the country today with the Eastern region catering for 72 compared with 71 between Tipp and Limerick.