Covid-19 not to blame for '100-fold increase' on waiting lists - consultants

The IHCA adds that growing waiting lists demonstrate "the impact of years of consultant shortages and underinvestment in capacity" across the public hospital system.

The Covid-19 pandemic is not to blame for the 100-fold increase in patient waiting lists, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has said.

Consultants are calling on the Government to expedite the publication of a plan to tackle acute hospital waiting lists ahead of the release of the latest National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) hospital waiting list figures which are expected soon. They are expected to show as many as 900,000 people are waiting for treatment under the fund.