"This cannot continue."
More than 550 children have been left on trolleys in "chaotic" hospital conditions over the last month which saw November the highest on record for overcrowding.
November saw a total of 12,624 people on a hospital trolley, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) reported.
There were 563 children out of those left on trolleys, with INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha saying that it is not an unusual thing to see.
She said that it is normal to see 40 children each day left waiting for a bed as conditions have become "cramped".
"We have seen yet another chaotic month in Irish hospitals; we have only had two days this month where there has been less than
500 people admitted to hospital without an inpatient bed," she said. "For the first time we have had over 563 children admitted without a bed in our hospitals. This cannot continue."
She also noted that some children's hospitals are now seeing staffing deficits of up to 45%, adding: "This is reflected in very high numbers of children waiting on trolleys across the CHI [Children’s Health Ireland] sites, accompanied by relatives in very cramped and overcrowded spaces."
Statistics from the Irish Patients’ Association (IPA) found that the number of people on trolleys last month increased by over 50% compared to last year, with some hospitals seeing a 100% rise compared to the same time last year.
Due to the issue of overcrowding and how it continues to rise, the HSE is now urging people to avail of the flu vaccination as the latest figures show that the flu virus is now actively circulating in the community.
