Eddie Matthews
INO Industrial Relations Officer
The Eastern Regional Health Authority has rejected claims by the Irish Nurses Organisation that A&E departments in Dublin hospitals were approaching crisis levels this weekend.
However, hospitals like Beaumont and the Mater were reporting severe overcrowding earlier today.
There are at least 25 people waiting in the Mater Hospital and staff on duty say there are no beds free.
There are many elderly patients waiting on chairs because there are no trolleys and some are expected to remain in the A&E department for up to three days.
Eddie Matthews, Industrial Relations Officer with the INO, blames the problems in A&E departments on what he describes as the monumental failure of management to manage.
The INO is calling on the ERHA to release money to the hospitals to allow them open closed beds immediately and transfer patients from acute hospitals to more appropriate step down facilities.
The Deputy Chief Executive of the ERHA, Liam Woods, said €3.8 million has been allocated to free up 150 beds for A&E patients in Dublin hospitals.
