Nurses working in the Emergency Department (ED) of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda have expressed serious concern about the levels of overcrowding there.

According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), on Monday, 40 patients were on trolleys awaiting inpatient beds, including one elderly patient who had been on a trolley in the ED for the past five days.

Meanwhile, ‘several' patients were spending their fourth day on a trolley.

The INMO noted that the department is short five nurses and as a result, staff working there are struggling to cope. It also pointed out that between January and August of this year, almost 5,500 patients have spent time on trolleys in the ED or in overcrowded wards.

This is the highest level of overcrowding the hospital has seen since 2006.

"The level of overcrowding within the Accident and Emergency Department in Drogheda is dangerous and is putting the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and staff at risk. Members of the INMO are at breaking point and will not tolerate the incessant overcrowding and unsafe conditions for patients," commented INMO industrial relations officer, Tony Fitzpatrick.

The INMO's Executive Council is meeting today (September 8) to ‘consider the situation nationally and prepare a response'.