Hospitals in the Shannonside/Northern Sound region are under severe pressure again today.
The Midlands Regional hospital in Tullamore is reporting 30 people waiting on trolleys or chairs today.
It is the third highest figure in the country – South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel and the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise each have 35 patients waiting on trolleys.
Portiuncula hospital in Ballinasloe is reporting 20 people waiting for a bed, while the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar has five people waiting in overflow areas.
There are six people waiting for a bed at Cavan General, and 15 at Sligo Regional Hospital.
In response to the overcrowding, management at Portiuncula hospital is advising the public to expect significant delays for treatment there today and have confirmed the Full Capacity Protocol has been implemented
The public are being asked to attend the Emergency Department only in the case of real emergencies and they should contact their GP or GP Out-of-Hours service in the first instance.
