A total of 760 admitted patients are going without beds in Ireland’s hospitals this morning, the worst-ever figure since records began.
University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has also broken the daily record for an individual hospital, with 92 patients on trolleys. The previous highest figure was 82, also in UHL.
The number of patients on trolleys this morning would more than fill the largest hospital in the state, St. James (707 beds) or take more than twice the equivalent of Letterkenny University Hospital (333 beds). The previous worst-ever day was March 12, 2018, when 714 patients went without beds.
Meanwhile, visiting has been banned at University Hospital Limerick until further notice as the hospital continues to manage high volumes of patients with influenza.
“As flu can be carried in to the hospital, it is necessary with immediate effect to impose these strict visitor restrictions. We apologise for any inconvenience or anxiety the restrictions may cause patients and their loved ones. However, these measures are being taken in the interests of patient safety and we appeal to the public for their co-operation at this time,” UHL said in a statement.
“The only exceptions to the visiting ban are people visiting patients who are at end-of-life, critically ill and confused patients (e.g. dementia). Parents visiting paediatric patients are also exempt. The visiting ban includes the Emergency Department at UHL and with the exception of patients in the above categories,” the statement added.
Members of the public are reminded not to bring children on visits anywhere in the hospital.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.