Some 181,000 people over the age of 65 are on hospital waiting lists

While the Covid pandemic has worsened the situation, it was a problem long before, Dr Denis McCauley said. File picture: iStock

Almost 32,000 people over the age of 65 have been on a hospital waiting list for more than 18 months.

New figures also show nearly 20,000 children have been waiting for over a year and a half.