Doctors estimate that one in 12 children now on hospital waiting lists

Irish Hospital Consultants Association President Professor Robert Landers linked the waiting lists to shortages in the system, particularly of hospital consultants. Picture: ihca.ie

Doctors have estimated that one in 12 children are now on waiting lists for various kinds of treatment based on the latest hospital data.

The figures also show the number of people waiting to have an operation in hospitals rose by over 500 between September and October despite funding being thrown at the problem.

In all almost 85,000 children are waiting to see a consultant for the first time as out-patients, although this number dropped by almost 2,000 in a month.

These are children who were assessed by their GP as needing a hospital appointment to check out a potentially serious illness.

Overall, there are 614,225 adults and children on out-patient lists down from 625,673 in September.

However in-patient figures have risen, reflecting seriously ill people waiting for a date to get an operation or procedure done in the hospital after assessment.

These numbers rose by over 500 between October and September. The figure for the end of October is a shocking 79,882, compared to 79,363 the month before.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

A further 25,829 patients were waiting to receive an appointment for a GI Endoscopy which can identify some potential cancers, coeliac disease or ulcers.

Hospital waiting lists have been the target of focused funding in recent months, with a plan launched in February hoping to reduce problems over a number of years.

However, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association continues to be extremely concerned. It raised particular worries around access to care for vulnerable children.

Its analysis of the lists indicates that, despite the Government target of reducing waiting lists by 18% by the end of the year, the number of children on lists has increased by 1,660 (2%) since January.

Irish Hospital Consultants Association President Prof Robert Landers said some 98,000 children are now on lists, including one in four waiting longer than a year to be treated. He linked this to shortages in the system, particularly of hospital consultants.

“This is resulting in thousands of children not getting the care they need in a timely way and the real possibility that they will suffer health and developmental issues that could have been reversed or mitigated against if only they were seen in time.”

He highlighted figures released by the Dublin children’s hospital earlier this week showing that 266 children are on active and suspended waiting lists for scoliosis related surgeries.

This is an increase of 21 children (9%) since the start of the year, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association found.

The National Treatment Purchase Fund also separately records patients who had treatment and are waiting for follow-on treatment when appropriate; this stands at 93,730.

A further 55,579 patients are classified as suspended.

This category refers to a variety of patients including those whose care has been outsourced to private hospitals, people who were too sick to have an operation perhaps due to Covid-19 and people who cancelled their operations for other reasons.