University Hospital Galway is the most overcrowded acute hospital in Ireland today.
According to Trolley and Ward Watch figures today there are 47 people on trolleys or in overcrowded wards at UHG.
That’s tied for the most overcrowded place with UH Cork, with UH Limerick in third place with 41 people on trolleys.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation records the number of people waiting on trolleys or stuck in beds or in trolleys in wards beyond their capacity.
Today’s figure of 47 patients without a regular bed is the most overcrowded UHG has been so far this year.
2018 was a the worst year on record for patients at the A&E as the number forced to wait on trolleys passed 100,000 for the first time on record.
The INMO says that pay and retention issues are leading to staff shortages among nurses which is seriously affecting the flow of patients to Emergency Departments.
Nurses are planning to go on strike over the coming coming weeks to protest the issue, with the first planned by the INMO for the end of this month of January 30.
More strikes from the INMO and Psychiatric nurses are planned for February if they cannot resolve their issues with the government.
