More than 40 patients waiting for beds at Portiuncula hospital

More than 40 admitted patients were waiting for beds this morning (Tuesday) at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe.

That's according to today’s Trolley Watch figures issued by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

The figures showed that 44 patients in all were without beds at the hospital in Ballinasloe, which was a slight increase on yesterday's figure of 41. There were 20 patients on trolleys in the hospital's Emergency Department, and 24 were awaiting beds on wards elsewhere.

The number of patients without beds in Portiuncula was the second-highest of any hospital nationally, behind University Hospital Limerick, where 85 were without beds. It was also more than double number of patients waiting for beds at University Hospital Galway (17).

Hospitals are currently experiencing a high number of patients with respiratory viral illnesses, such as Influenza, RSV and Covid-19.

Elsewhere in the Midlands region, there were two patients waiting for beds in Mullingar hospital this morning, which was down from 11 yesterday (Monday).