People waiting on trolleys at Wexford and Tipperary hospitals 

High numbers of patients are awaiting care on trolleys in emergency departments and hospital wards in the south east this week. Wexford General Hospital and Tipperary University Hospitals are particularly busy, with a large number of people presenting to emergency departments.

A spokesperson apologised for the inconvenience and distress caused by the delays. "This is not the standard of care that we want for patients of our services and we regret that any patient would have to wait for a hospital bed in this way. This is a patient safety issue."

The HSE south east said they were committed to reducing waits for hospital beds, improving clinical outcomes, and ensuring the most vulnerable patients receive safe, timely and high-quality care. They asked people to consider their care options: those who are seriously injured or ill will be assessed and treated as a priority. Those who do not require urgent care may experience long waiting times.

“We are acutely aware that even one person on a trolley is too many", said Dr Vida Hamilton, regional clinical director for HSE Dublin and south east. "Every effort is being made to discharge patients who are ready to go home so that beds will be available for patients, who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity. 

"We are asking everyone to work with our hardworking teams planning discharge and consider all your options. Patients will only be discharged from our hospitals to their home or to further care when it is medically appropriate to do so. If someone is reluctant to move on from a bed when the acute phase of their treatment is finished to a convalescent or rehabilitation setting not only does it mean they are not getting the correct care in the best setting for them but it also it means that someone else could face a delay in accessing acute and emergency care.”

If your health problem is not an emergency, contact your GP during normal surgery hours or the GP out of hours service.