Number of patients on trolleys at local hospital down 60pc

There has been a significant reduction in the number of patients on trolleys at Mullingar hospital, according to the Dept of Health.

In a statement, the department said that Dublin and Midlands hospital emergency departments recorded 25% fewer patients waiting on trolleys for the first five months of the year, meaning there were 3,300 fewer patients waiting on trolleys at 8am in those these hospitals compared to the same period last year.

Among the hospitals showing a reduction in patients on trolleys were:

• 63% reduction in Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar.

• 12% reduction in Naas General Hospital

Trolleys at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore have remained at zero since the start of the year.

The department said an impressive performance by hospital staff contributed greatly to the overall improved performance nationally, and the number of patients on trolleys in the first five months of the year is down 14% nationally compared to the same period last year.

That meant there were 7,800 fewer patients waiting for hospital beds at 8am nationally.

The improved national performance happened even though 62,000 more patients presented to emergency departments compared to last year.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, TD, updated thcabinet with information showing significant reductions in trolley numbers, as measured daily by the HSE, in most hospitals.

Fewer older patients experienced long waits in emergency departments. The number of patients aged 75 years and over waiting long period in emergency departments is down by 20%.