Fire safety officers threaten legal action against overcrowded Limerick hospital

University Hospital Limerick has been threatened with legal action by fire safety officers.

Fire safety officers threaten legal action against overcrowded Limerick hospital

University Hospital Limerick has been threatened with legal action by fire safety officers.

It comes following an inspection in March of this year when 38 patients were found to be waiting on trolleys.

This exceeds the number of trolleys set out in the fire safety notice of 29, according to the Irish Times.

At one point in April, there were more patients on trolleys in corridors and wards at the hospital than there was across the entirety of Dublin’s nine hospitals, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

There were 72 patients, including 54 in the ED and 18 on general wards, waiting for a bed at UHL while across Dublin, there were 71 patients.

Fire officers say they are "seriously concerned" as there have been several breaches on the maximum number of patients permitted without a bed.

Management at the hospital said if they had to stay within the limit during peak times they would be forced to close or divert services outside of the Midwest.

In a statement the hospital said a series of fire training sessions have taken place recently, while 62 staff have received fire training and there is more planned for 2020.

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