Patients waiting for hours on trolleys in University Hospital Galway’s Emergency Department are exposed to serious infections that cause major harm or death, according to an internal risk assessment.

A corporate risk register at UHG, released under Freedom of Information (FOI), warned of a “risk of compromised quality and safety of patient care due to insufficient capacity to manage demand” in the ED.

It outlined how high numbers of patients on trolleys was resulting in overcrowding and non-compliance with patient experience targets (PET); and “insufficient” access to inpatient beds at the city hospital.

The report said there was lack of access to enough resuscitation bays, cubicle spaces, and isolation cubicles, leading to an increased risk of healthcare associated infections (HCAI), which can lead to serious harm or death.

Management had taken measures – including contracting private beds in Bon Secours and Galway Clinic – to try to control the risks to patients.

The long-term solution was a new ED being built as part of the Women and Children’s ward block, which was still in the planning stages.

The report identified a risk of maintaining infection prevention and control standards, “due to insufficient appropriate accommodation”, “aging infrastructure” and “insufficient resources” in relation to Covid-19 infections and healthcare associated infections.