Only 49 nurses from a staff of 418 were on duty at Limerick Regional Hospital yesterday, compared with 206 normally rostered for the day. Only one of the seven operating theatres was in use and a total of 90 procedures have been cancelled up to tomorrow.
According to a Mid Western Health Board statement from the last evening, 40 acute admissions were cancelled yesterday and a total of 140 for the week.
According to the board spokesman a number of maintenance staff failed to attend at St Camillius Hospital. The board said problems with refuse collection at Ennistymon hospital were referred to the union and Clare County Council.
Only six of the 43 public health nurses provided service in Limerick, while only five of the 36 public health nurses were on duty and a similar number in north Tipperary.