Hospital overcrowding: Nearly 500 patients waiting for beds

Eva Osborne

489 itted patients were waiting for beds in Irish hospitals on Wednesday morning, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

The organisation's Trolley Watch showed 338 patients are waiting in emergency departments, while 151 are in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

84 patients are waiting in University Hospital Limerick, with 36 of these in the emergency department and 48 in wards elsewhere.

57 patients are waiting for beds in University Hospital Galway, 43 of which are in the emergency department with 14 in wards elsewhere in the hospital.

42 patients are waiting for beds at Tallaght University Hospital - with 30 in the emergency department and 12 in wards elsewhere, while 37 wait in St Vincent's University Hospital.

In the south, 40 patients are waiting for beds at Cork University Hospital while 21 wait at University Hospital Kerry.

Elsewhere, 27 patients are waiting for beds at Letterkenny University Hospital, 26 patients are waiting at Sligo University Hospital, and 19 are waiting at Mayo University Hospital.