Hospital crisis grows deeper as 30 patients now queue to get onto trolleys

Crisis measures have remained in place in University Hospital Galway throughout this week amid scenes of “bedlam”, with more than 50 people waiting on trolleys and around 30 more awaiting admission.

‘Full capacity protocol’ was put in place on Monday morning as the hospital continued to break records for waiting times.

The Irish Nurses and Medical Organisation described the overcrowding situation as “appalling” and has called on Health Minister Dr James Reilly to intervene.

The chronic situation has spiralled in recent weeks, and on Tuesday, a total of 52 people were waiting on trolleys in the Emergency Department (ED), while 30 more were awaiting admission.

Staff were forced to leave patients on trolleys in the ED waiting area, and move them onto wards.

The crisis has led to renewed calls for the Department of Health to intervene and seize control of the hospital to solve the problems.“The Emergency Department is bedlam. There are trolleys in the waiting room and being sent to wards to ease congestion,” a source said.

Earlier this week, 25 beds remained closed in UHG, and a further 91 beds in Merlin Park.

An INMO spokesperson described the situation as “appalling”.“The overcrowding continues despite the fact that the full capacity protocol was invoked yesterday in an effort to relieve the situation. Conditions at the hospital are almost unbearable, for patients and staff alike."

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune