Over three thousand beds at North West hospitals could have been freed up to new patients if step-down facilities were made available.
New figures released to Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy reveal that over 1200 beds were not available in Sligo University Hospital in the first six months of this year because of delayed discharges.
The figure was over 1800 at Letterkenny University Hospital which has seen an unprecedented number on trolleys so far this year.
The HSE defines a 'delayed discharge' as someone who no longer needs to be in an acute hospital setting but who has no access to appropriate step down care such as a nursing home or home care package.
Speaking to Ocean FM News on the figures, Deputy Murphy says it's very concerning as we head into the winter months:
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