Updated 4pm

THE MATER HOSPITAL in Dublin alerted staff and the public that it is at full capacity earlier today after what it described as “an exceptionally busy week”.

In an alert issued to staff this morning, hospital management said that it was at full capacity and special measures were needed to relieve pressure on its emergency department. The alert level has since been lowered and the hospital says it is no longer at full capacity.

As of noon today, the hospital said it was at escalation level 2 and exactly 11 patients are waiting for beds at the facility. The hospital said that pressures in the emergency department were being experienced at present.

It had earlier been between escalation level three or four with the hospital saying in a statement that “this week has been an exceptionally busy week for the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, in fact for the whole region.”

Such instances are not uncommon and can happen a number of times during the year due to the nature of the congested health system in Ireland. Special measures can include identifying patients who can be discharged as soon as possible.

“The hospital has robust electronic communication pathway system in place and the type of communiqué issued this morning to nurse managers is cascaded regularly to inform them of the escalation status of the hospital and to keep them updated,” the statement added.

Figures released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation today show that there are 326 patients on trolleys in emergency departments around the country including 135 in the Eastern region which includes hospitals in Dublin and Naas.

The largest number is at our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and Cork University Hospital where there are 35 patients waiting in the emergency departments of each.