600% rise in hospital waiting times

The number of people waiting more than a year for hospital treatment has surged 600% since December.

Figures detailed in the HSE’s latest performance monitoring report show the rise occurred between December and May, signalling a serious problem for Health Minister Leo Varadkar as he battles to bring the sector in line.

Under targets set by former health minister James Reilly, no one was to wait longer than 12 months for an outpatient appointment and longer than eight months for an inpatient appointment by the end of last year.