More than 41,000 on waiting lists

THE crisis in the health service deepened last night with revelations that more than 41,000 patients are on waiting lists at a time when health service employers have banned staff recruitment.

The latest figures show nearly 12,000 adults are waiting six months or more and more than 2,200 children are waiting three months or more, despite a Government promise that by the end of 2003, no adult would wait longer than six months and no child longer than three months.

The number of patients waiting for day care treatment is 24,147, while 17,252 are waiting for an inpatient procedure.