Almost 48,500 people on waiting lists at University Hospital Waterford

Calls on the Government to 'stop hiding behind the pandemic'

Consultants say there are 'growing concerns' that cancers are being missed as waiting lists spiral at University Hospital Waterford. Picture: Denis Minihane

University Hospital Waterford (UHW) now has 48,500 people on waiting lists, and consultants have warned of “growing concerns” that cancers are being missed.

Analysis of the waiting lists by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has found almost 5,000 people waiting for in-patient care and 43,500 waiting to see consultants as out-patients.

The spiralling waiting lists include the largest number waiting anywhere in the country for ear, nose, and throat care, said the IHCA, with 10,734 on this single list, including children waiting for tonsilitis care. 

A total of 6,331 people are waiting for orthopaedic help, including hip replacements, and 6,000 are waiting on dermatology, including eczema and other painful conditions.

“There are growing concerns that patients in the area will be at a greater risk of a potential delayed diagnosis of cancer or face months of pain while awaiting hip or knee surgery,” said the IHCA.

The overall number is now almost the same as the population of Waterford City and suburbs, said IHCA vice-president and histopathologist at UHW, Rob Landers.

“The Government and health service must stop hiding behind the pandemic as the main reason for growing public hospital waiting lists,” said Prof Landers.

What is needed are properly resourced, effective plans to expand public hospital capacity and sort this problem out once and for all. 

"The HSE Service Plan for 2022 also needs to be published without delay and must commit to delivering on long-promised extra public hospital capacity.” 

Only one extra intensive care bed has been opened there in five years, he said.

There are 1,649 women waiting on breast surgery, up from 819 in 2015, and 1,874 waiting to see a cardiologist, almost five times as many as in 2015.

“While the hospital managed to utilise part of the recently constructed five-storey Dunmore Wing to alleviate some of the pressure caused by Covid, this was at the expense of its intended use for in-patient palliative care services,” he said.

The IHCA also pointed to information released to Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane in May showing that over a quarter of the 135 consultant jobs at the hospital were not filled or filled on a temporary basis. 

“The Government must make good on its promise to deliver the extra consultants, extra beds, and extra hospital facilities so badly needed to meet the healthcare needs of the 50,000 people currently waiting to be assessed or treated at UHW,” said Prof Landers.