NI hospital waiting lists hit all-time high

Northern Ireland's hospital waiting lists have topped 60,000 for the first time.

The figures show the total number of people waiting for treatment has now gone up every quarter for the last three years.

Health Minister Des Browne said he believed measures put in place by his predecessor, Sinn Fein's Bairbre De Brun, to reduce waiting lists were beginning to bear fruit.

However, Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson Robert Coulter says Ms De Brun must take the blame for the crisis.