University Hospital Galway (UHG) has admitted that ‘not all Emergency Department (ED) patients are afforded privacy and dignity'.

According to the West/North West Hospital Group, which is made up of seven hospitals including UHG, ‘difficulties' have been experienced by some patients attending the ED ‘despite the ongoing efforts of staff and management'.

The group made its statement in response to a lunchtime protest by nurses on Wednesday (September 17). The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) organised the protest in an attempt to highlight overcrowding in the ED.

It said that patients were being ‘deprived of care with dignity', with some having to be treated in crowded areas and even on corridors.

"The levels of overcrowding and staff shortages are impinging on nurses' ability to provide safe quality care to patients. This overcrowding in the month of September is unprecedented and can only get worse as we enter the winter months," commented INMO industrial relations officer, Clare Treacy.

In its statement, the hospital group acknowledged the difficulties at the hospital and the hard work of staff. It said that the build-up of patients in the ED is linked to bed availability throughout the hospital, but that it has a commitment from community services ‘that more beds will be sourced in the community so that long-term care patients can be moved to more appropriate settings, resulting in more acute beds becoming available within the hospital'.

"The nursing staff shortage in the ED is being addressed and the applications of 11 new nurses staff are being processed at the moment and nine more job offers have been made. We also expect to shortly commence recruitment of four new paediatric nurses," it said.

It also pointed out that stress management support has been provided to ED nursing staff, and local management ‘has met the unions on a weekly basis to address day-to-day concerns and requirements'.

"We recognise that the ED building itself needs to be updated and we are progressing an application for capital funding. The West/North West Hospitals Group will shortly be appointing a specialist clinical lead in emergency medicine who will be tasked with improving patient ED pathways across the group," it added.