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SHOCK figures show that 239 patients died on trolleys at University Hospital Limerick in the four years to 2023. The numbers, issued today, make clear the scale of the pressure for beds that has hit the overstretched facility . In the same period 195 patients died in the Emergency Departments at Galway University Hospital, 150 at Sligo University Hospital, 117 at Mayo University Hospital and 108 at Letterkenny Hospital.

Yet it could not be confirmed how many of those who passed away were on trolleys. Fianna Fail Councillor Cillian Murphy, who requested the figures, said the numbers were upsetting but noted a 29 percent drop in terms of UHL trolley deaths since 2019. He told The Irish Sun: “Of course, ideally there would be none but it’s an ED, patients presenting are by definition in need of critical intervention.



“Since 2020 there is a rate of death of one patient in every 1,370 who present at the ED in UHL, for University Hospital Galway the rate is one patient for every 1,625 patients presenting.” The Co Clare councillor said every case belies a “traumatic experience for families and friends, and we cannot lose sight of that. “But unless we ask these hard questions and face the reality of them, it’s unlikely that changes will be made.

” He said the numbers show a drop of 29 percent in these cases since 2019” at UHL “so work is obviously happening to address this.” UHL hospital group said it continues to take measures to relieve congestion. An inquest l.

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