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Six One News: Dr Fergal Hickey, A&E Consultant, says that things are getting better, but that the problem has only been partly addressed thus far
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Six One News: Barry Cummins reports that each day one in ten people who present themselves at a A&E department are forced to wait on a trolley before being offered a bed
Figures released by the Health Service Executive show that the average waiting time on a hospital trolley reduced significantly in 2006, compared to the previous year.
Currently nine out ten people admitted to hospital every month through Accident and Emergency departments are either given a bed immediately or have a relatively short wait for a bed.
But there are still up to ten people every day left waiting on a trolley for more than 24 hours.
The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, welcomed the figures and said the results were encouraging.
However, she added: 'We must continue with the process of improvement in each hospital to ensure that the experience of all patients in A&E Departments is a positive one.'
