Ireland - Hospital delays cause 249 patients on hospital trolleys this morning (labor issue/not due to swine flu)

[jeanne]

this doesn't mention swine flu, but it might be significant

249 patients on hospital trolleys this morning
Irish Independent Online
Tuesday August 11 2009

The Irish Nurses Organisation says 249 patients were on trolleys in A&E units across the country this morning.

The organisation says the worst overcrowding was in St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, both of which had 25 patients on trolleys.

Tallaght, Blanchardstown, Galway and Wexford hospitals all had more than 20 patients on trolleys.

[Niko]

Re: 249 patients on hospital trolleys this morning

A scan of Irish Nurses Organisation in google news reveals an apparent concern with nurse's being laid off/let go at various hospitals. Cuts appear to have been postponed. Maybe someone more familiar with this can offer an analysis - politics? . - Cut in Irish hospital nursing posts postponed 7 August, 2009 | By Steve Ford


300 on trolleys overnight despite new unit

Tue 4th August 2009

Fears over UHG's ability to deal with swine flu


ALMOST 300 patients were left languishing overnight on trolleys in the corridors of the Emergency Department of University Hospital Galway in the past four weeks despite a multi-million Euro investment in a new unit to tackle overcrowding at the city hospital.

And there are fears the Emergency Department may not be able to cope with the expected influx of admissions if, as expected, the Swine Flu pandemic in the city worsens in the coming weeks when students return from their summer holidays.

New figures reveal there were 288 patients who had to endure an overnight stay on trolleys at the city hospital over a 24-day period since a new Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) was opened at the end of June.

The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) ?Trolley Watch? figures show as many as 39 patients in one night had to wait overnight in the Emergency Department before they were admitted to the hospital for treatment.
The HSE West said the new ?1.9 million MAU would facilitate the ?fast-tracking? of patients with acute conditions.

The unit was supposed to relieve the overcrowded A&E Department by facilitating the examination and treatment of medical emergency patients who present at the hospital by allowing patients to go directly to the MAU and by-pass A&E.

It was...

http://www.galwaynews.ie/8359-300-trolleys-overnight-despite-new-unit

[jeanne]

Re: 249 patients on hospital trolleys this morning

so it seems to be more about industrial action than swine flu overrunning the hospitals?

[Niko]

Re: 249 patients on hospital trolleys this morning

so it seems to be more about industrial action than swine flu overrunning the hospitals?

True. But as the article's subtitle says: "Fears over UHG's ability to deal with swine flu". Combine a severe outbreak of swine flu with a nursing shortage and the outcome could be catastrophic. Let's hope that the hold on the nursing cuts becomes permanent and sustainable.