Patients waiting more than six months for one of 10 common procedures will be offered treatment by the end of the year, according to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).

A review of how the National Treatment Purchase Fund negotiates prices with private and voluntary nursing homes under the Fair Deal scheme is almost complete.

Sinn Féin has today called on the Government to implement a targeted investment and recruitment campaign to get the country's hospitals back on track.

Data that has been made publicly available for the first time this year has revealed the most detailed picture yet of waiting lists in every hospital in the country.

The hospital waiting list watchdog says a number of clinics are breaking the Government's 'next in line' policy.