Sixteen on trolleys at Cavan General following busy weekend

There are 16 patients on trolleys in Cavan General this morning following another busy weekend at the local acute hospital facility.

The figures were reported this morning by nurses as part of the daily trolley watch count from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation. The figure locally is up from seven on Friday morning, but still less than the 23 reported this day last week.

Nationally, there are 663 admitted patients in Irish hospitals waiting for beds this morning. Most of them are in EDs.

Meanwhile, figures from the INMO show that 1,842 patients were left waiting on trolleys at Cavan General over the course of 2024. That’s an average of five people a day.

The figures have quadrupled over the past decade when 460 patients were reported on trolleys over the course of 2014.

It demonstrates the increasing demand for, and pressure on services, and emphasises the need for the new ED extension, which is in the pipeline.

Last Monday, Cavan General Hospital management issued an 'escalation' notice when there were 23 patients on trolleys waiting for a bed.

Members of the public were urged not to present at the Emergency Department at Cavan General Hospital unless absolutely necessary.

The appeal was issued to GPs and the media as flu continued to impact the local acute hospital facility.

No such notice has issued this week and patients continue to be treated, in order of priority, at the Emergency Department.