Overcrowding crisis at St Luke’s escalates, 40 patients now on trolleys

THE overcrowding crisis at St Luke’s General Hospital escalated even further today, with no fewer than 40 patients left languishing on trolleys while they wait for a bed to become available.

Yesterday KilkennyNow.ie reported that management at St Luke’s had urged the public to stay away from the A&E department unless they require “urgent care” following a surge in admissions.

Despite this, the situation worsened again today as the number of patients on trolleys rose by five from the 35 recorded yesterday by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’ (INMO) trolley watch.

St Luke’s recorded the second highest overcrowding levels of any hospital in the country for the second day running. Again, only University Hospital Limerick (63) recorded higher levels of overcrowding than our local hospital.