December rise in overcrowding at LUH contrasts with national picture

An analysis of the INMO’s Trolley and Ward Watch figures for the month of December 2015 shows that the level of overcrowding at Letterkenny University Hospital increased by 79% on December 2014.
This is against a national fall of 13% in overcrowding nationwide.
A total of 106 people were without a bed at Letterkenny University Hospital last month compared to 59 in December of 2014.
The total number of patients last year, who were admitted to Letterkenny Hospital but had to wait for a bed on a Trolley or in a ward was 2814.
That’s an increase of 59 on the total for 2014 and well over double the figure for 2013.
As is related to the month of December, last month was the third most overcrowded at Letterkenny since the INMO started compiling figures ten years ago.
Part of proposals, agreed between the HSE and the INMO to avoid planned strike action, includes the cancellation of planned surgeries as part of a new plan to deal with overcrowding.
Nurses will be balloted on the new plan over the next three weeks in a bid to reduce the number of people on trolleys in Emergency Departments.