There was a 51% increase in the number of people awaiting treatment on trolleys in emergency departments nationwide in June, making it the worst June in terms of overcrowding since recording began in 2004.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says that the figure in a record high for June, with a total of 7,775 people on trolleys in hospitals last month. This is now the 12th month in a row that overcrowding has been higher than the corresponding month in the previous year.
The highest annual increase was at St. Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, which was up 332% on June 2014, while University Hospital, Waterford and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin were up 178% and 150% respectively.
The figure is a 68% increase on June 2013.
The INMO has said in a statement today that "these figures confirm that the actions, put forward by the Emergency Department Taskforce in April, have not to date, had any impact, and much more investment by government is required to address this growing crisis."
Speaking this morning INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said there was a need for "emergency funding ... in order to address the crisis, ahead of the winter period."
“The level of deterioration, and the resulting compromising of patient care and excessive workloads on nursing staff contained in these figures, is truly shocking.
"It must now be recognised, and acknowledged, that what has been done to date, however desirable and well intentioned, has failed to address the problem which continues to grow. This is the worst June, in terms of overcrowding, since the INMO began counting trolleys in 2004."
