How the third day of the strike affected the State's 11 major acute hospitals:
St James's Hospital, Dublin (700 beds)
EIGHTY-SIX patients attended the accident and emergency department, nine more than on Wednesday. Some 27 patients were admitted, bringing to 532 the total number in the hospital. Inquiries: 1800-202934
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin (627 beds)
THE number of patients attending casualty rose from 44 to 61. A second operating theatre was opened to deal with the influx. Management said "all intensive care units are operating at full capacity". Inquiries: 1800-202935
Cork University Hospital (550 beds)
ANOTHER 12 beds were closed bringing to 102 the total number vacant. Only one in five nurses remained on duty, or 70 out of 260 rostered. The two surgical theatres which remained open were said to be very busy. Inquiries: 1850-742000
University College Hospital, Galway (538 beds)
MEDICAL staff said the accident and emergency department was becoming much busier, yet bed closures continue. A total of 155 beds are now vacant, adding to 144 at Merlin Park, 115 at Mayo General at 11 at Roscommon. Inquiries: (091) 524222
Mater Hospital, Dublin (483 beds)
CASUALTY remained busy with 108 people presenting themselves for treatment. Nine operating theatres remained closed. A total of 18 patients were admitted and a similar number were discharged, leaving the in-patient population at 381. Inquiries: (01) 803-2034/2036
St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin (472 beds)
TEN patients underwent surgery, up from six on Wednesday, in the hospital's one theatre in use. Nine are closed. Arrivals at casualty also rose from 49 to 61. But bed occupancy fell to 310. Information on services: (01) 209-4991/269-4533
Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin (464 beds) SOME 69 patients attended the accident and emergency department, up from 48 on Wednesday. In-patient population rose to 339 with 21 new admissions from casualty. The two operating theatres still open were said to be very busy. Inquiries: 1800202936. Psychiatric services: (01) 6264077
Limerick Regional Hospital (395 beds):
EFFORTS were being made to remedy a 14hour backlog of operations at the only theatre in use. Hospital management was negotiating with the strike committee last night to open and staff a second. Six theatres remained closed. The in-patient population has dropped to 186 with three wards and 76 acute beds now closed. Inquiries: 1800-200300
Waterford Regional Hospital (393 beds):
WITH the end of the maintenance workers' strike, nurses began picketing the hospital for the first time. Doctors were said to be busy although pressure has been eased somewhat by lower in-patient numbers. Inquiries: 1800-300655
Sligo General Hospital (306 beds):
ONLY one-fifth of normal nursing cover remained in place. More than half of all beds have been closed. Inquiries: (071) 71111
Letterkenny General Hospital (317 beds):
CONCERN is growing in the area about cutbacks in community nursing. The number of visits to the young, elderly and mentally ill have been "drastically reduced", according to the North Western Health Board. Inquiries: (074) 25888 or health board information line 1800 501 701
