Trolley numbers fall in Mayo University Hospital amid ongoing flu surge 

TROLLEY figures in Mayo University Hospital in Castebar have fallen from 37 patient yesterday (Monday, December 30) to 14 today (Tuesday, December 31). 

This comes as a local county councillor has called for emergency action to alleviate the pressure on the hospital’s emergency department. 

This comes as the HSE is warning that flu is having ‘a significant impact’ on hospital attendance throughout the northwest region, with attendances at MUH 30 percent higher than normal for this time of the year.

Almost 900 people across the country are currently being treated for flu. On December 14, 93 were hospitalised with Covid-19, while 248 people were in hospital with RSV.

Today, five patients are being treated on trolleys in MUH’s emergency department while nine are being treated on trolleys in words. 

Castlebar-based Independent councillor Harry Barrett called on MUH to put an emergency plan in place to deal with the ‘shocking’ and ‘completely unacceptable’ number of people waiting on trolleys in the emergency department.

Cllr Barrett, a long-time critic of the lack of capacity in MUH, described the current trolley situation in the hospital as ‘an absolute emergency’.

“These are our family members, friends, and neighbours. They are stuck for hours on end in a noisy, bright, and overcrowded emergency room. It’s not just uncomfortable – it’s unsafe. People deserve better than this, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable,” he said.

“I’m calling on hospital management, the HSE, and everyone involved to step up and fix this before it gets any worse. We need more beds, more staff, and faster solutions to get patients out of trolleys and into proper care.

“This is about basic human dignity. People in Mayo deserve a hospital system they can trust to take care of them when they’re sick. Right now, that trust is being tested.”

Visiting restrictions are currently in place in hospital wards impacted by flu and RSV. The HSE has asked people not to visit loved ones in hospital if they are experiencing any flu-like symptoms.

Dr Scott Walkin, Infection Lead with Irish College of General Practitioners, is urging anyone eligible to take the flu vaccination to prevent further spread of the virus.

Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday), the Ballina-based GP said that flu was a ‘county-wide’ and ‘country-wide’ problem at present.

“Vaccination is crucially important, particularly for two- to seventeen-year-olds, also people over 60, people with ongoing medical conditions, people with weak immune systems, people who are pregnant and have given birth in the last two weeks, people who work with swine or poultry, all healthcare workers,” said Dr Walkin.

“If people are sick, and they have coughs, colds or flu symptoms, they should stay at home to protect their work colleagues and to protect the community. It’s really important to stay away from people who are medically vulnerable, who have underlying medical problems.”

Nursing homes

The HSE has urged anyone with breathing difficulties or chest pain to attend their local hospital’s emergency department for treatment or call 112/999 in an emergency. Patients with non-life-threatening conditions have been asked to seek healthcare in the community.

Dr Áine McNamara, Regional Director of Public Health, HSE West and North West, said the level of flu and RSV circulating in communities is ‘having a significant impact on our hospitals and nursing homes’.

“We are urging the public to stay at home if they have flu-like symptoms. There are a number of care options available to people who need support via their local pharmacy, GP, GP Out of Hours, and injury units for non-life-threatening conditions such as fractures and burns,” said Dr McNamara.