HRIs Dr Niamh Cummins, from UL's School of Medicine, discusses "How the trolley crisis became a year-round emergency in Irish hospitals" on RTÉ Brainstorm
In the article,"How the trolley crisis became a year-round emergency in Irish hospitals", Dr Cummins (ULs School of Medicine) explores the complex factors driving emergency department overcrowding, including population ageing, increasing levels of chronic illness, workforce shortages, and ongoing constraints in hospital bed capacity. She argues that the trolley crisis has become normalised within Irish society, despite its significant impact on patient care and wellbeing.
Drawing on national and international evidence, Dr Cummins highlights the urgent need for sustained investment in healthcare capacity, alongside long-term policy measures to address overcrowding. The article also examines the human cost of prolonged waits for emergency care and calls for emergency department crowding to be treated as a national public health priority.
