Major concern has again been expressed about overcrowding in Irish hospitals, particularly as Covid cases are on the increase.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called on the government and the HSE to tackle this issue before the Dáil goes into recess later this week.

It noted that on the morning of July 12, there were 532 patients on trolleys nationwide and 1,035 people in hospital with Covid-19.

“Yet again, we are seeing abnormally high trolley numbers. There has not been a day since June 3 where there has been less than 400 people on trolleys. This is completely unacceptable at a time of year when overcrowding traditionally eases off.

“It is impossible for our members to provide safe care when we are seeing huge numbers without beds in our hospitals coupled with high numbers of Covid hospitalisations,” commented INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha.

She said that staff are “extremely burnt out” and many are becoming sick with Covid.

“The conditions they are working in are completely unsafe and demoralising. The Health and Safety Authority must act on the unsafe conditions our members are working in and patients are presenting to.

“The HSE has a duty to provide a safe environment for employees and patients and this just is not being adhered to in the vast majority of hospitals,” she insisted.

The INMO are calling for four key actions:

- The reintroduction of mask wearing in indoor and congregated settings

-The reintroduction of Covid screening upon arrival to all hospitals when patients present to emergency departments or for elective care. The INMO said that “it makes little sense” that only those who are symptomatic in hospitals are being tested. This, it insisted, is is leading to cross contamination of the virus unnecessarily in hospitals

-Booster vaccines should be given to healthcare workers

-Ventilation in healthcare settings should be improved as the overwhelming majority of Covid outbreaks currently occurring are in these settings.

“Urgent action must be taken not just on hospital overcrowding, but on easing the impact of COVID within our health services. This must be a priority for the government in the days ahead,” Ms Ní Sheaghdha added.