Portlaoise A&E must have at least 11 trollies before hospital considered at 'full capacity'

Health management who oversee Portlaoise hospital have published figures which show that they are tackling trolley problems but they have also confirmed that 11 people must be waiting in A&E before the hospital is considered to be full.

Early today (Monday) the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation published figures at Dublin Midlands Hospital Group as follows: Tallaght 17; Naas 15; St James’ 7; Portlaoise 31; Tullamore 23

A public relations firm which acting on behalf of the DMHG said that HSE trolley figures as of 2pm were as follows: Tallaght 14; Naas 12; St James’ 6; Portlaoise 14; Tullamore 9.

An escalation policy is implemented to tackle a build up of trolleys at hospitals. The policy is activated in Portlaoise when certain levels are reached.

“The first step of the escalation policy is effected when there are four admitted patients on trollies in the Emergency Department and the hospital is at full capacity when there are eleven or more admitted patients on trollies in the Emergency Department.

"The decision to implement escalation policy rests with the management of the hospital,” said a statement from the DMHG.