Galway hospitals handed suspended fines for excessive waiting times

Two hospitals in Galway have been fined a total of €1.2m due to their patient waiting times.

Two hospitals in Galway have been fined a total of €1.2m as a result of excessive patient waiting times.

University College Hospital Galway and Merlin Park Hospital are the first facilities to face fines under a policy which was put in place by the Department of Health's special delivery unit in February.

It is aimed at cutting waiting times for procedures to under 12 months.

The Department of Health has suspended the penalty, on the condition that all waiting time targets are met by September 30 and a programme of support measures is put in place.