LAST year was the worst in almost a decade for the number of patients waiting on trolleys.

NURSES say their concerns have been clearly addressed in a Department of Health report on conditions in Limerick’s Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

CONFUSION surrounded the future role of the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) after the Health Minister said he had asked it to “cease making further commitments” while at the same time reassuring patients that they can continue to apply for procedures under the scheme.

MORE than 5,000 people joined the queue of public patients waiting in excess of three months for surgery since the end of 2010.