While the number on trolleys is down today across the country – it’s up again in the North West hospitals.
The numbers on trolleys at Letterkenny University Hospital has increased to 25 while the number are up just one to 23 patients on trolleys in Sligo where the numbers have barely reduced all week.
A consultant at Letterkenny University Hospital today described the situation as a ‘battleground’ according to reports with some staff almost in tears due to the pressure they are under.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says they are still at record level while the Health Minister is set to meet the head of the HSE to discuss the issue today.
The latest INMO Trolleywatch figures come as Minister Simon Harris is due to meet with HSE boss Tony O’Brien.
His cabinet colleague Shane Ross said Harris was likely to go in guns blazing after an awful week of trolley numbers:
The Minister has said the figures are being increased by a heavy outbreak of flu.
Dr Colm Henry, the HSE’s National Clinical Lead for Acute Hospitals, says this strain of flu is causing older people to attend hospital more:
The HSE advice if you have flu is not to attend to hospital and risk spreading the disease.
Their figures also show just 20 per cent of nurses have taken the vaccination against influenza, well below their target of 70 per cent
