University Hospital Limerick overcrowding
Deputy Quinlivan described worsening trolley figures and chronic overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, arguing the bed base is far too small. The Minister said the Health Minister was aware of the pressure, additional measures were being considered, and more beds would help, while Quinlivan complained the issue was not properly answered.
I raise the issue of University Hospital Limerick. Unfortunately, I feel myself having to raise it almost every week. Today there are 100 people on trolleys in our hospital; yesterday there were 105. There have been 915 already in the month of May, a higher number than for any month previously. It is an ongoing crisis. University Hospital Limerick has 530 inpatient beds, with 76,473 presentations to the emergency department in 2021. Compared with St. James's Hospital, which has 698 such beds, with an emergency department attendance of 48,397, that is where the Government's problem is. The only plan the Government has is to deliver a 96-bed unit in about three years' time. The Government and the Minister have confirmed that, of those 96 beds, 48 will be new beds. I want to know what the Government will do now because we cannot go on with a situation in which there are 100 people or more on trolleys in the hospital every single day.
Comment on this
Every month this year the numbers have increased. They increased in January, February, March and April. May has historically high numbers already.
Comment on this
You are out of time now, Deputy. I am sorry. You should submit a Topical Issue matter if you want a more detailed debate.
Comment on this
I have already submitted a Topical Issue matter for response from the Minister for Health. He stood there, walked out the door and left it to somebody else to respond.
Comment on this
The Minister, Deputy Donnelly, is very much aware of the pressure patients and staff in University Hospital Limerick are facing. If those beds are delivered as quickly as possible, it will help with the pressures Deputy Quinlivan has raised. The Department of Health is looking at what additional measures can be put in place to deal with the real challenges there at present with hospital conditions and waiting lists. I am sure the Minister would have given the Deputy a comprehensive answer to the question when he raised a Topical Issue matter on it. Many of my colleagues have raised the issue within the Government, and I will certainly give any help I can to the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, in making progress on that.
Comment on this
The last chance he got, he did not even mention it.