The Health Information and Quality Authority has published a report into the hospital following inspections in November of last year, and again in January.
An unannounced inspection was carried out at University Hospital Limerick on 28 November 2014, followed by a re-inspection on 13 January 2015.
The re-inspection examined the level of progress which had been made regarding environmental hygiene while additional areas were also inspected.
The Dooradoyle hospital is the only 24 hour A&E department for Limerick, North Tipperary and Clare and is regularly one of the most overcrowded in the country with dozens of people waiting on trolleys and chairs for a bed…the report states that staff say the overcrowding is a near permanent situation on the wards.
The initial inspection found the maintenance of the hospital environment and equipment was of significant concern, however the follow-up in January revealed improvements had been made.
HIQA also found that more needs to be done to improve hand hygiene at the Hospital, especially among non-nursing staff.
The Health Watchdog says it's contacted the HSE at senior level to advise them of the extra cost for the hospital of tackling multidrug resistant infections.
It wants the hospital to be given all necessary supports to ensure the risk is managed as well as possible, on a system-wide basis.
HIQA says the health facility must now revise and amend its quality improvement plan to be published on its website in 6 weeks.
