Two Munster hospitals account for a fifth of eye patients on country's waiting lists

The waiting list for the coach service in Munster to go to Belfast for cataract operations has now increased to more than 200

The figures come as independent TDs Michael Collins and Danny Healy-Rae prepare for the 100th Cataracts Express coach service they started in 2017. File picture: Larry Cummins

Nearly 20% of the country’s 37,914 adults on ophthalmology waiting lists are outpatients at just two Munster hospitals, figures show.

The latest statistics from the National Treatment Purchase Fund also show more people waiting for cataract operations at those hospitals than five years ago. 

Some 2,856 people were waiting for ophthalmology services at University Hospital Waterford in July 2017, compared to 3,458 in July this year. In addition, there were 7,282 waiting for the same services at Cork University Hospital in July this year, up from the 6,716 waiting five years previously.

The figures come as independent TDs Michael Collins and Danny Healy-Rae prepare for the 100th Cataracts Express coach service they started in 2017. Since then, they have brought around 3,000 people from mainly Cork and Kerry but also other counties including Tipperary, and Waterford, to get cataract operations done in Belfast.

The two TDs linked up with Kingsbridge Private Hospital, where operations on each eye — which take less than 30 minutes — cost around €2,200. The Killarney-based Jimmy O’Callaghan coach service, which first launched on December 16, 2017, is believed to be unique in Europe.

The inspiration for it was the late John Patrick Harrington, who died in March 2020 who was aged 90 when he had to endure the 1,000km round trip from Bantry to Belfast because he faced a four-year wait despite going blind.

His treatment was reimbursed to him via the Cross Border Directive (CBD) on Healthcare, a scheme he first heard about from Mr Collins. Since Brexit, it has been replaced by another scheme which also sees people paying Kingsbridge for their cataract operations and then claiming the money back from the HSE.

Between them, the TDs had a waiting list for the coach service of at least 100 people who wanted to go to Belfast but that has now increased to more than 200.

Mr Collins said: “When myself and Danny started this, never in a million years did we imagine we would still be doing it.

I think the health service should hold its head in shame over the fact that people are still go blind waiting for help.

He added: “I see nothing but increasing numbers of people wanting to use our service all the time. At any one time, we will have about 200 waiting to go up. I can see myself doing this until I retire."

The South/South West Hospital Group, which runs CUH and UHW, was asked for a comment but a spokesperson said they would be unable to give one at the time of going to press.

Stephen McMahon, chair of the Irish Patients Association said: “As an advocate of the treatment abroad schemes, I applaud what public representatives like Michael Collins and Danny Healy-Rae have been doing.

“They have to be commended for having helped so many get treated. But it shouldn’t be down to them to do this. Consultants and HSE staff should be telling people directly what the alternatives to being treated at home are and helping them with the process.”