Drop of 63 per cent in patients on trolleys at Mullingar hospital

A significant reduction was recorded in the number of patients waiting on trolleys at Mullingar hospital for the first five months of this year.

The 63 per cent reduction achieved at Mullingar was one of the largest in the country, figures presented recently to Cabinet by Minister of Health Stephen Donnelly showed.

The figures, as measured daily by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in most hospitals, showed that nationally, the number of patients on trolleys in the first five months of the year was down 14% compared to the same period last year, meaning 7,800 fewer patients were waiting on trolleys for a hospital bed.

According to Minister Donnelly, the fall happened even though 62,000 more patients presented to Emergency Departments (EDs) compared to last year and far fewer older patients experienced long waits in EDs, with the number of patients aged 75 years and over, waiting long periods in EDs down by 20% (1,947 patients).

Minister Donnelly said: “I want to pay tribute to staff in emergency departments, and throughout hospitals and community services who have contributed to this improved performance, despite a large increase in the number of patients presenting to emergency departments.

"Our goal is to ensure all patients can access beds when they need them. This has already happened in some hospitals, including University Hospital Waterford and the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore. There have been no patients on trolleys in Waterford for years and Tullamore has had no patients on trolleys to date this year. We are making real progress, although we have more to do.”

Minister Donnelly said there has been a significant increase in capacity under this government - with an additional 28,500 people working in the health service since the end of 2019 and 1,182 acute hospital beds as well as hundreds of additional community beds since the end of 2019.

The news has also been welcomed by Deputy Robert Troy, who paid tribute to the staff at Mullingar hospital.

“The reduction of patients on trolleys in Mullingar by 63 per cent in the first five months of this year is thanks to the hard work and dedication of staff throughout Mullingar hospital, its Emergency Department and community services.

“In government we have delivered an unprecedented increase in funding to our health service over the last four years, with more staff and more hospital beds now than ever before and I want to thank all those working in hospital and community settings."