Huge jump in numbers on trolleys; 'We need more beds'
The number of people awaiting hospital treatment on trolleys around the country jumped 51% in June.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said the increase on figures from the same month last year was also a record high for the month. There were 7,775 people on trolleys in hospitals in June.
In a statement, the INMO said; "This figure represents the highest ever level of overcrowding in the month of June since the INMO started Trolley Watch over 12 years ago.
"These figures also confirm that, for the 12th month in a row, the level of overcrowding has increased when compared to the same month in the previous year."
INMO officials have demanded much more investment by the Government to address what they are calling a "growing crisis".
General Secretary Liam Doran said: "More capacity and more staff - it's as simple as that. Our health service is too small...The key message is we need more beds. That requires more staff (and) more government investment."
