Staff concern at 'severely overcrowded' Drogheda Hospital with ambulances unable to unload patients

There was an average of 33 people on trolleys this week in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda with reports that multiple ambulances parked outside were unable to unload patients into the crowded A&E Department.

According to the Irish National Midwives and Nurses Organisation there was 45 patients waiting on trolleys on Monday. This dropped to 29 on Tuesday, to 30 on Wednesday and back to 29 today (Thursday).

The high numbers presenting for treatment and admission were a major concern to the INMO with Industrial Relations Officer for the region, Noelle Hamilton commenting:

“Members are telling us the emergency department is severely overcrowded, ambulance arrivals are queued in hallways and can’t unload patients. Some outpatient procedures have been cancelled and these areas are being allocated to inpatients. This is an extremely unsafe situation causing severe stress for our members and it’s very dangerous for patients.”

- Please let us know your experience if you've been in Drogheda Hospital in recent weeks. Email Sally.Harding@meathchronicle.ie in confidence.