Lies, damned lies ... and waiting lists

WHEN the Department of Health last claimed significant reductions in hospital waiting lists, it was accused of massaging the figures.

The charge seems equally valid following yesterday's claim by Health Minister Micheál Martin of further significant reductions.

According to the minister, the in-patient waiting list, representing the number of patients waiting for admission to hospital for treatment involving at least one overnight stay in hospital, shows a decrease of 846 (4.4%) in the in-patient waiting list between September and December 2002.