Extra 9,904 on outpatient waiting lists in Cork in past year

THERE has been an increase of 9,904 people on outpatient waiting lists across Cork hospitals in the last year, according to the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).

There was a total of 65,745 adults and 8,034 children on outpatient waiting lists across Cork hospitals in December 2021.

There was a total of 63,875 people on outpatient waiting lists across Cork hospitals in 2020.

It comes as the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) warned that the Government must not let another year pass by without addressing the twin deficits of a shortage of consultants and a lack of sufficient public hospital capacity, resulting in continued record waiting lists.

The NTPF figures show that, nationally, 879,277 people are now on some form of NTPF waiting list, including 96,094 children, an increase of more than 40,600 in the past year.

Waiting lists in Cork 

Cork University Hospital recorded 31,394 adults on outpatient waiting lists, of whom 9,248 were waiting over 18 months. A further 5,489 children were on outpatient waiting lists at the hospital.

At the same time in 2020, there were 29,812 people on outpatient waiting lists at the hospital.

The numbers reflect an increase of 7,071 people on waiting lists at the hospital in the last year.

There were 2,053 adults and 41 children on outpatient waiting lists at Cork University Maternity Hospital in December 2021.

In December 2020, there were 1,043 people on outpatient waiting lists.

Mercy University Hospital recorded 7,015 adults and 448 children on outpatient waiting lists last year, a total of 7,463 compared to the 6,871 people the hospital had on outpatient waiting lists in December 2020.

South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital had 21,159 adults and 1,937 children on waiting lists in December 2021, giving a total of 23,096.

In 2020, the hospital recorded 22,156 people on outpatient waiting lists.

Mallow General Hospital had 2,792 adults and 119 children on outpatient waiting lists in December 2021, a total of 2,911.

The hospital had 2,460 people on outpatient waiting lists in 2020.

At Bantry General Hospital, there were 1,332 adults on the outpatient waiting list, of whom 226 were waiting 18 months or more.

In December 2020, there were 1,533 adults on outpatient waiting lists at the hospital.

IHCA president Alan Irvine said that more people were waiting for hospital treatment at the end of 2021 than at the start of the year, despite a four-month action plan from the Government to address the issue.

“These waiting lists are not being brought under control quick enough and the lack of progress in the past year is really damning,” said Prof Irvine.