National patient survey finds 70% have to wait six hours before admission

Almost 11,000 patients took part in the survey which looked at admissions, care on the ward, examinations, diagnosis and treatment, discharge or transfer and other aspects of care. File picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

A national survey of in-patients has found seven in 10 had to wait more than six hours before being admitted to a ward.

Less than a third (29%) said they were admitted to a ward within six hours, while 5% had to wait 48 hours or more, according to the survey carried out in 40 hospitals countrywide by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), HSE and Department of Health.