Consultants warn it could take 14 years to get hospital waiting lists under control

Waiting lists were already growing before Covid-19 and the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, in its pre-budget submission, said they have spiked further, with patients delayed over the past 20 months due to the pandemic. File picture

Hospital consultants have warned that, without urgent action, it will take up to 14 years to get patient waiting lists under control.

Waiting lists now top 907,000 patients, with the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) blaming the combined impact of years of underinvestment, Covid-19 and the HSE cyberattack.