Record number of patients waiting for health care, say consultants

There are 74,860 patients waiting for essential procedures with 18,361 of those waiting over a year. Picture: File photo

There are over 844,000 people on waiting lists for health care, according to the latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).

This is an increase of 10% since the start of the year.

There are 612,817 outpatients across the country waiting to be seen by a consultant with 59,383 of those added to the list this year.

The number of people who have been waiting over a year for a consultant outpatient appointment has risen to 203,814.

There are 74,860 patients waiting for essential procedures with 18,361 of those waiting over a year.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has called on the Government to open more beds and fill over 500 vacant permanent consultant positions which they say is the solution to ending record patient waiting times.

It warned any delays in addressing the shortage of hospital consultants and the capacity deficits in the public health system will have serious implications for patients awaiting care.

The Association welcomed Government investment in Budget 2021 but said "until this money is channeled effectively and speedily to where it will make a difference for patients, we will continue to publish record waiting lists".

“In budgetary terms, for a fraction of the level of spending commitments made we could fix the core problem of vacant permanent consultant posts," said IHCA President Professor Alan Irvine.

He said that no amount of investment will reduce the waiting lists unless the necessary number of consultants are recruited.

"Additional acute hospital capacity needs to be commissioned and opened at speed to provide essential care to non-Covid-19 patients as well as to Covid-19 patients.

"This requires expansion of acute and ICU beds, operating theatre and outpatient facilities.” 

Prof Irvine confirmed that the IHCA has sought meetings with Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and HSE CEO Paul Reid "to agree practical plans and workable solutions that will address the capacity deficits and in turn resolve the waiting lists and the impact of further Covid waves."

He said that the first step Government should take is to end the salary inequity imposed on consultants taking up contracts since 2012.

Addressing this issue would, according to Prof Irvine, have an immediate impact in reducing waiting lists for outpatient, inpatient and day-case appointments.

"The consequences of not addressing the consultant recruitment and retention crisis is for the Government to perpetuate and exacerbate the deterioration in public hospital capacity to provide care to patients," he said.