Major overcrowding at UHL

Photo © Pat Flynn

University Hospital Limerick which serves North Tipp patients is dealing with chronic overcrowding once again.

It comes just a day after the Health Minister gave the green light for a 60 bed modular unit to ease the situation at Dooradoyle.

Meanwhile the head of the UL hospital group insists while bed capacity is a major issue patients are getting the care they need the minute they arrive at the Emergency Department.

Just 24 hours after Health Minister Simon Harris confirmed the long awaited funding for a 60 bed modular unit for the Mid West’s main hospital, figures today reveal that once again its ED is suffering with chronic overcrowding.

Figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show there are 52 people on trolleys and chairs awaiting a bed in Dooradoyle making it the highest in the country.

That figure is unlikely to improve over the coming months as the Modular Unit won’t be up and running for a year

However Colette Cowan, who is CEO of the UL Group of hospitals which includes Nenagh, insists that patient care is a priority regardless of whether they are on a bed or a trolley.

She also insists that they are hitting the ground running in terms of getting the 60 bed modular unit in place.