How the State's 11 major acute hospitals - categorised as Band 1 by the Department of Health and Children - fared on the first day of the nurses' strike.
St James's Hospital, Dublin (700 beds):
Only a quarter of the normal nursing cover was available. Fewer patients than usual attended the casualty department as people heeded advice to visit GPs instead. Emergency cover was maintained as agreed with hospital management. Patient help-line was flooded with inquiries. Its number is: 1 800 202 934
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin (627 beds):
Of 11 operating theatres, only one was open. An estimated 75 per cent of the nurses who would normally have been on duty were not at work. Some buses which normally drive into the hospital refused to pass the pickets, which operated on a rotating basis with nurses splitting their shifts between the picket line and the accident and emergency department. Anyone inquiring about services should call: 1 800 202 935
Cork University Hospital (550 beds):
Only two of ten surgical theatres which would normally operate remained open. Ninety of the hospital's 550 beds were closed. Further reductions are expected as the strike progresses. Of 260 nurses rostered, 70 were on duty (19.4 per cent). However, chemotherapy day care services and out-patient clinics including fracture, warfarin and Hepatitis C continued to be provided. Inquiries: 1 850 742 000
University College Hospital, Galway (538 beds):
One-fifth of the normal nursing cover was present, with 70 nurses on duty out of the normal roster of 350. Between 85 and 90 non-urgent operations and 400 out-patient appointments planned for yesterday were cancelled. Just five operations had been carried out up to last night. Inquiries: 091 524 222
Mater Hospital, Dublin (483 beds):
Of ten operating theatres, only one was open and was reportedly fully booked. In the oncology unit, nurses withdrew assistance in the administering of chemotherapy. A number of wards were closed. Inquiries: 01 803 2034/2036
St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin (472 beds):
Nurses provided emergency cover as agreed with management. Planned admissions and outpatient services were cancelled. The public was urged to limit phone calls to the hospital to urgent inquiries. Information: 01 209 4991/ 269 4533
Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin (464 beds):
As with other major Dublin hospitals, management declined to provide details on the level of nursing cover. Accident and emergency services were curtailed but urgent cases were treated as normal. Inquiries: 1 800 202 936. Psychiatric services: 01 626 4077
Limerick Regional Hospital (395 beds):
Only one of seven operating theatres remained open. Three wards were closed and 750 out-patient appointments planned for this week were cancelled. Nursing cover was reduced to less than a quarter of normal. Of 209 nurses normally rostered, 49 were on duty (23.4 per cent). Inquiries: 1 800 200 300
Waterford Regional Hospital (393 beds):
No pickets were placed on the hospital by nurses due to the ongoing strike by maintenance workers. Nursing staff handed out leaflets to patients inside the hospital instead. Up to 90 non-urgent operations, 1,600 out-patient appointments and 200 day-care appointments planned for this week were cancelled. Inquiries: 1 800 300 655
Sligo General Hospital (340 beds):
Of 181 nurses rostered, only 38 (20.9 per cent) turned up to work. Four wards were closed, reducing the number of beds available from 306 to 85. By the end of the week, the hospital will have cancelled at least 150 non-urgent operations and 600 outpatient appointments. Inquiries: 071 71111
Letterkenny General Hospital (317 beds):
Of 120 nurses rostered, just 26 (21.6 per cent) were on duty. The North Western Health Board said all agreements with local strike committees on emergency cover were honoured. In the first few hours, three cardiac arrests and one road accident were dealt with. Inquiries: 074 25888 or health board information line 1 800 501 701
