220,271 waiting more than 12 months for outpatient appointments 

University Hospital Kerry has one of the longest waits in the country across a range of specialisms, including gynaecology, plastic surgery, orthopedics, geriatric care, and cardiology. Picture: Domnick Walsh 

Hospitals in the North-West and the South-West are among the worst in the country for outpatient waiting times.

This is according to analysis of the official lists of the 220,271 people now waiting more than 12 months for their first consultant-led outpatient appointment.

The analysis, carried out by the Irish Patients' Association, shows Saolta group hospitals in Mayo, Galway, Donegal, and Roscommon are among the worst in the country.

At University Hospital Galway (UHG), people are waiting more than 12 months across a very wide range of specialisms.

Specialisms include pain relief, orthopedics, respiratory medicine, plastic surgery, ear, nose, and throat, urology, and gynaecology.

Hospitals run by the South/South-West Hospital [SSWHG] Group also feature high up on the lists of hospitals where people have lengthy waits.

University Hospital Kerry has one of the longest waits in the country across a range of specialisms, including gynaecology, plastic surgery, orthopedics, geriatric care, and cardiology.

In 11 specialisms with long waiting lists, five Saolta group hospitals were prominent.

Some nine specialist services provided by the SSWHG also feature on the top 30 list, with University Hospital Waterford performing the worst.

'Hidden suffering for public patients'

Irish Patients' Association chief executive Stephen McMahon said: “This report illustrates the scale of the hidden suffering for public patients and a major patient safety issue.

“Some of this analysis should prompt questions by those in power to find urgent answers as to why we are in the state we are in."

A HSE spokesperson said: “Long waiting lists are a legacy, systemic issue and they have reached their current, record levels over many years.

It will take a number of years to bring waiting times down to the levels envisaged in Sláintecare.

“There are serious issues in relation to waiting lists to be addressed around the country.” 

The spokesperson added: “There is no quick-fix solution to this problem.

“The HSE is working with the Department of Health to develop a comprehensive, multi-year waiting list plan which will address this issue once and for all.

“Waiting lists have been made worse by Covid-19 as we had to cancel so much scheduled activity to keep patients safe, and then further impacted by the damaging cyberattack this past summer.”