Last month saw a big reduction in the number of patients left waiting on trolleys in Dublin hospitals compared to the same time last year, however hospitals outside of Dublin recorded an increase in their trolley waiting figures.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), which compiles these figures on a daily basis, a total of 6,136 patients were left waiting on trolleys during the month of August - a 6% reduction when compared to the same period in 2015.

A closer analysis of the figures revealed that among Dublin hospitals, there was a reduction of 41%, however among hospitals outside of Dublin, there was an increase of 14%.

The hospitals experiencing the highest levels of overcrowding last month were University Hospital Limerick (610 patients on trolleys), Cork University Hospital (473) and South Tipperary General Hospital (470).

The INMO noted that while some trolley figures are down, the number of delayed discharges - that is patients who have completed their acute care in hospital but cannot be discharged because there is nowhere appropriate for them to go - increased to 640 at the end of last week.

The organisation also warned that many hospitals are unable to recruit and retain nursing staff, despite repeated efforts.

"The shortage of nursing staff, which continues at crisis levels, will inevitably result in the closure of hospital beds as we enter the autumn/winter period, which will in turn only exacerbate Emergency Department overcrowding and the number of patients on trolleys," it insisted.