Over 11,000 hospital patients were left waiting without a bed last month making it the worst March for overcrowding ever recorded by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

The INMO started counting daily trolley figures in 2006 and last month’s figure of 11,001 patients on trolleys is the highest March figure so far.

The worst affected hospitals during the month were University Hospital Limerick (1,671 patients on trolleys), University Hospital Galway (947) and Letterkenny University Hospital (781).

The worst affected hospital in Dublin was St Vincent’s University Hospital (699), while the  worst affected children’s hospital was Temple Street (119).

According to INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, nurses and midwives do not use phrases like ‘out of control’ lightly. She pointed out that 37% of patients who have been on trolleys since the beginning of 2022 presented to hospitals in March.

“Hospitals are currently not safe for patients or for staff because of the level of overcrowding and Covid infection levels. We need clear and coherent public health advice from government and senior public health officials.

“The public also need to be made aware of why we need them to once again step up to the plate in order to protect those who are working on our frontlines,” Ms Ní Sheaghdha said.