Number of patients on trolleys at South Tipperary Hospital falls to 15 

The number of patients on trolleys at South Tipperary General Hospital has fallen to 15 this afternoon, according to the HSE. This is down from the 32 patients on trolleys reported by the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation this morning. 

The Clonmel hospital had the third highest number of patients on trolleys in corridors or wards in the country, according to the INMO daily Trolley Watch Report issued at 10.30am today. 

Liam Conway of the INMO said South Tipperary General Hospital clearly didn't have enough beds capacity. 

"We want to work with hospital management to make sure there are enough staff to provide proper care for patients, especially in the new 40-bed facility opening next year.

“Frontline staff know the hospital best. Management should be including nurses in decisions about how to run the new wards. Without frontline input, I worry that we’ll see the same old problems of overcrowding and understaffing.”

The HSE issued a statement saying it regretted any delays experienced by its patients and pointed out that hospitals are continuing to implement measures so that patients can transfer to wards and hospital beds as quickly as possible. 

These measured included the opening of additional beds, a greater focus on discharging patients to appropriate care as well as speedier access to diagnostic and other tests that mean patients can be discharged more promptly, and the curtailment of elective admissions as necessary.

"Current challenges include a high numbers of patients presenting to Emergency Departments. Other challenges include the significant prevalence of respiratory presentations linked to the current warm weather, more than 60 beds (country wide) closed due to infection and a high number of delayed discharge patients who remain in hospital.  Hospital Groups and Community Health Organisations continue to work together to minimise discharge delays for patients.