16 March 2023
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Sinn Féin TD for Cork South-Central, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has said that the news today that patients on trolleys at Cork University Hospital’s Emergency Department are being moved to already full wards is extremely worrying for both patients and staff.
Deputy Ó Laoghaire said,
“This is a newly developing, worrying practice in CUH where they are moving trolleys into wards.
“There are issues where wards are already at 100% capacity, and more trolleys are being placed in there, and they’re being cared for by nursing staff that are already understaffed in many cases.
“This is placing a significant amount of risk on nurses, and on midwives in maternity settings.
“It is no wonder that the INMO are saying that staff morale at CUH is very low.
“This recent instruction from management at the hospital is putting further strain on staff and is an added risk for patients.
“It is clear that hospital overcrowding is out of control once again and I echo the calls from INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha calling on HSE management to meet ahead of the Bank Holiday Weekend to discuss measures such as the lack of hospital and community beds.
“This meeting needs to happen ahead of what will be an extremely busy bank holiday weekend for staff in the CUH.
