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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) says 12,274 patients were treated in “inappropriate locations” in Irish hospitals during September 2026, making it the worst September on record for overcrowding, according to the union. University Hospital Limerick had the highest reported monthly total, at 1,994.
What the September figure counts—and what it does not establish
The INMO uses “inappropriate locations” for patients admitted without a conventional bed, including people treated on trolleys, chairs or in other inappropriate bed spaces. Its monthly release, issued on 1 October 2026, reports 12,274 patients for September but does not explain whether that total represents unique individuals, admissions or counts accumulated across reporting days. It should not be read as 12,274 people waiting at the same time.
A separate INMO statement gives a daily snapshot: on 14 September, the union said 628 patients were on a trolley, chair or in another inappropriate bed space. The union also said that more than a third of patients admitted without a bed were being treated elsewhere in the hospital that day. That daily count is not interchangeable with the September monthly total.
Hospitals with the highest reported September totals
The five highest hospital figures named by the INMO are monthly totals, not counts from one day.
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| Hospital | INMO-reported patients in September 2026 |
|---|---|
| University Hospital Limerick | 1,994 |
| University Hospital Galway | 1,061 |
| Cork University Hospital | 1,008 |
| St Vincent’s University Hospital | 895 |
| Sligo University Hospital | 884 |
The Irish Examiner repeated the same five figures, while Galway Bay FM reported the Galway and Limerick totals, attributing them to INMO data. Those reports do not change the figures’ source: they are union-reported counts.
How September compared with August
The INMO reported 9,945 patients admitted without a bed in August 2026, which it called the worst August on record. September’s reported total was 2,329 higher, by subtraction. This compares the two monthly releases only; it does not establish a longer-term trend or explain why the count rose.
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The INMO also called September the worst September on record. Its release did not publish earlier September totals alongside the claim, so the historical series behind that record description is not available in the figures cited here.
What the INMO is asking the HSE to do
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha called on the Health Service Executive (HSE) to publish a winter plan for the 2026/27 season and begin recruiting additional staff. The union’s position is that opening beds and increasing capacity requires staffing matched to current health-service needs. These are the INMO’s recommendations and assessment; the September figures alone do not demonstrate the causes of overcrowding.
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In a statement dated 1 October, Ní Sheaghdha said: “The winter surge has not really begun in acute settings yet, and we are already approaching the very highest figures we have ever seen for people on trolleys.” She also said the HSE should set out how it intends to reduce trolley numbers and hire staff to meet current needs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.The union’s stated safety position
In a separate statement on 22 September, the INMO described overcrowding as a major risk to patient and staff safety. It said hospitals with more than 22 patients in an emergency department should declare overcrowding a major incident. That is the union’s stated position, not evidence that 22 is a general statutory threshold.
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