Hospital waiting lists up 25% since election, says FG

DUBLIN’S hospital waiting lists have grown by 25% since the Coalition came to power in 1997, according to a Fine Gael survey.

The nationwide situation looks little better, as it will now take an estimated 20 years to clear waiting lists.

The Fine Gael figures reveal there are 18,338 adults and children waiting for in-patient and day treatment at the Eastern Regional Health Authority’s 13 hospitals. This compares to just 14,215 back in 1997.

Senator Brian Hayes of Fine Gael said the latest figures would come as a “body blow to Dubliners who have had to listen to the Minister for Health pontificating about how much he has invested in the health services”.

Nationwide, there is a backlog of 30,000 people waiting for treatment, which has been cut by just 400 in the first three months of this year, Government figures show.

According to the Fine Gael analysis of the Dublin lists, up to 35% of the 754 people on Tallaght General Hospital’s lists have been waiting over two years for treatment, while over 4,250 people are on the list at Beaumont Hospital, an increase of 84% since 1997.

Children are also being forced to wait in Dublin, with 935 on waiting lists in the capital’s hospitals.

The Department of Health said waiting lists were decreasing and there were 508 fewer people on nationwide daycare lists in March 2003, compared to December 2002.

There are also 728 fewer people on in-patient waiting lists over the same period.