There were 668 people on hospital trolleys and on wards awaiting admission to a hospital bed on Tuesday as a Government-commissioned report advised that the current health system was not fit for purpose. If the Government accelerates the pace of the proposed all-party Sláintecare reforms, 2,600 extra acute hospital beds will be required, the review says. It said occupancy rates are running close to 100 per cent across the hospital system, posing a legitimate risk to patient safety. Highest numberThe INMO figures for Tuesday showed the highest number of people awaiting a bed (60) were at University Hospital Limerick. Next was St Vincent’s in Dublin, where there were 45 people on trolleys, followed by Cork University Hospital (42) and Letterkenny General Hospital (39).

Source: The Irish Times January 23, 2018 20:37 UTC