More than 70 unwell children left on hospital trolleys

As concern over the hospital overcrowding crisis continues, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) warned that keeping children for long periods in emergency departments is "simply not acceptable". According to figures released on Monday by the INMO, for the first two weeks of January 73 children were left to wait on trolleys in the three paediatric hospitals - Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, National Children's Hospital Tallaght and Children's University Hospital Temple Street. This is the first time the INMO has counted and published the number of children left waiting for a hospital bed. INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said exposing children to extended periods in an emergency department was "unsatisfactory on many levels, not least of which is the possible exposure to traumatic events." "All systems, processes and procedures must aim to avoid unnecessary waiting times in EDs (emergency departments) as a matter of urgency," she added. Childrens' nurse and INMO executive council member Catherine Sheridan said that attending hospital is a fearful and anxious experience for children and their families and that long waits must be kept to an absolute minimum. She added: "It is simply not acceptable to us that environments that are totally unsuitable are added to this anxiety and fear." INMO president Martina Harkin-Kelly said it was important to put the spotlight on the problem to help ensure appropriate measures are taken to provide safe, effective quality care. INMO figures also showed that on Monday 506 patients across the country were left waiting for hospital beds. The worst affected hospital was University Hospital Waterford, where 44 patients were left waiting. It was followed by University Hospital Limerick, where 38 people were left on trolleys, and Cork University Hospital where the figure was 31. At South Tipperary General 29 were kept waiting, and another 29 in Midland Regional at Mullingar. Earlier this month - when the number of people waiting for treatment exceeded 600 - Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that people left waiting in emergency departments were being denied dignity. Health Minister Simon Harris also insisted that "no effort or resource is being spared to improve the situation".