The number of patients on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has jumped almost tenfold from 2,422 in 2009 when casualty cover was removed from three hospitals to 21,445 in 2023, according to new figures produced by a local lobby group.
Following the cancellation of surgery at UHL in recent weeks, the number of patients on trolleys fell from more than a 100 to 48 on August 29 before climbing back up to 78 on Wednesday.
The Health Information and Quality Authority is compiling a report examining the need for a second emergency department in the Mid-West, which it says will not be published until the summer of 2025.
A new document prepared by the Friends of Ennis Hospital, which has been submitted to HIQA presents a case for the upgrading of Ennis Hospital
This document, prepared by Friends of Ennis Hospital, lays out the case for the upgrading of Ennis Hospital to a Model 3, which would allow for the re-opening of the Emergency Department that was closed in April 2009.
The group pointed out UHL is a case study for why hospital reconfiguration fails when adequate resources are not put in place.
Examining data from January 1, 2023 to June 19, 2024, the group pointed out the UHL Trolley count recorded more than 100 patients on 120 days or 33% of days recorded, excluding Bank Holidays and weekends.
This number peaked at 150 patients on trolleys on February 7, 2024 for a new overcrowding record.
On only 11 occasions did the number of patients on trolleys fall to 49 or below, which is the recommended HIQA capacity at UHL ED . That is 3% of dates recorded, meaning that on 97% of days the ED is operating above capacity.
In addition, on 40% of the days recorded (148) Ennis hospital had patients on trolleys with the highest number being 16 on January 5, 2023.
In 2022, according to HIQA, UHL operated at 105% occupancy that year.
From January 23 to June 24, trolley numbers rarely dropped below 60 and the overcrowding protocol was triggered on every single day of 2023.
“Hospitals with consistent overcrowding also experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Studies have shown that the longer a patient remains on a trolley the higher the risk of death or permanent lifelong health issues,” said a spokesperson for the group.
“It is clear that University Hospital Limerick cannot cope with the patient numbers presenting for treatment in its ED.
“Its staff are overworked, and its patients are sometimes overlooked in the chaos which is the ED in Limerick.
“No other hospital in the country deals with the level of patient presentations that Limerick sees without the support of other EDs in the region to which patients can be transferred.
“Having a patient on a trolley for 24-48 hours cannot possibly be without risk.
“The lack of privacy and dignity is only part of the problem, the lack of sleep, the lack of a call bell on a corridor, people waiting hours for a doctor to see them.”
The group outlined trolley numbers at UHL exceeded 100 for 50 consecutive days in 2024 and the overcrowding protocol was triggered every single day in 2023.
Elective surgeries were cancelled on multiple days in 2023 and 2024.
There has been a 14% rise in ED presentations at UHL in 2024 in limerick versus the same period last year.
The group pointed out the Mid-West scores worse than the national average for population age profile, deprivation, health status, population density and percentage with a disability.
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.