Covid impact leaves one in eight people on hospital waiting lists 

Cork University Hospital (CUH) is now planning to open additional critical care beds on-site and has appealed for staff to volunteer for shifts. Picture: Larry Cummins

One in eight people in the country are now on an outpatient waiting list as Covid-19 has severely disrupted health services.

There are now 610,000 people waiting for outpatient appointments and a further 72,000 people waiting on inpatient or day case procedures, the Oireachtas Health Committee has been told.