Overcrowding at MUH remains stubbornly high
There were 25 patients on trolleys at Mayo University Hopsital on Wednesday and 17 people without a bed on Thursday
The overcrowding situation at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) remained high last week as a local councillor insisted overworked staff need more support.
There were 25 patients without a bed at the Castlebar facility on Wednesday and 17 people in the same situation on Thursday, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) Trolley Watch figures.
The total number of patients on trolleys across the four hospitals in the West was 129 on Wednesday and 112 on Thursday.
University Hospital Galway was the third most overcrowded hospital in the country with 65 patients waiting for a bed on Wednesday and 58 people on trolleys on Thursday. Sligo University Hospital was the fourth most overcrowded hospital with 34 patients on trolleys and chairs on Wednesday and 35 people awaiting a bed on Thursday.
Elsewhere, there were five people on trolleys at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe on Wednesday and two on Thursday.
Across the country, there were 654 admitted patients waiting for beds on Wednesday and 612 people without a bed on Thursday.
Castlebar-based Independent Cllr Michael Kilcoyne said the number of staff at MUH has dropped significantly and the extension of the HSE recruitment embargo in November to almost all staff and grades is an issue.
"The question is why would staff go in and work in a place like Mayo University Hospital where they are understaffed, a lot of people are sick and the possibility of incidents occurring are much greater," he said. "Why would you go in there when you could go to Australia where there are higher wages and adequate staffing levels?"
Independent election candidate Harry Barrett, who is also based in Castlebar, stressed three main elements that need to be put in place.
"There needs to be proper availability of a doctor at weekends, enough staff to deal with patients when they are inside Mayo University Hospital and the supports when they want to go home such as homecare packages," he said. "Those things are majorly absent in the county and you can build another Accident and Emergency unit but it is not going to solve the problem."
