Cork's outpatient waiting lists jumps 600%

THE number of people waiting for outpatient appointments in Cork for longer than 12 months has increased by more than 400% since 2014.

Three years ago, the combined waiting list for outpatients for more than a year at Cork University Hospital (CUH) and the Mercy University Hospital was 810, but that has risen to 5,984 for April 2017. 

Most of those are in CUH, with 4,900 on the waiting list, and 1,084 are waiting for outpatient appointments in the Mercy.

The figures were obtained by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin who said they showed how bad the health system had become in recent years.

"The figures demonstrate the growing crisis in the health system. The last number of years have seen a deterioration in the provision of health services by the State to the people of Cork.

"For the past six months, we have seen a severe overcrowding in our Emergency Departments, and now basic outpatient services are seeing increasing delays and bottlenecks," he said.

He called on Minister for Health Simon Harris to realistically address the plan through extra funding.

The HSE and the South/South-West Hospital Group declined to comment on the figures and Mr Martin's statement.