The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has declared that overcrowding in emergency departments around the country needs to be declared as a national emergency. The call was made as Beaumont Hospital asked patients to stay away because of chronic overcrowding while the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore also asked patients to avoid the A&E department on Friday due to a lack of space. Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda is also experiencing what has been described by the INMO as “chronic levels of overcrowding”, with other hospitals including Sligo General and Wexford General also under increased pressure. “The situation is compounded by the fact that almost 800 patients continue to occupy acute beds, although clinically discharged, because of the absence of appropriate continuing care/rehabilitation beds or adequate homecare nursing services,” a statement on their site read. “The problem is exacerbated still further by the acute shortage of nursing staff, arising from five years of flawed manpower planning policies, which has left many hospitals, even when resources are available, unable to find the required additional nursing staff. “This critical situation, which sees patient care being compromised on an ongoing basis, can only be addressed by the declaration of a national emergency by government,” the statement continued. “The health service is now faced with the most significant overcrowding situation since the INMO began counting trolleys over ten years ago,” said Liam Doran, INMO General Secretary. “The government can prevaricate no longer, patients can suffer no longer, staff cannot continue in this intolerable situation and strong, urgent action is required immediately.”