TD criticises hospital waiting lists in Cork as ‘beyond unacceptable’

A CORK TD has said it is “beyond unacceptable” that hospital waiting lists in Cork are spiralling out of control.

Speaking after the latest National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) waiting list figures were published, Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said that the hospital crisis is “growing significantly month-on-month”.

The figures showed a total of 74,981 people on hospital waiting lists at Cork hospitals at the end of May.

Nationally, as of May 25, there were 600,888 people on adult outpatient waiting lists, 67,770 of whom were waiting for treatment in Cork hospitals.

The highest figure in Cork was at Cork University Hospital where there were 31,731 adults waiting for treatment.

This was followed by the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital where there were a total of 23,394 people awaiting treatment and the Mercy University Hospital where there were 6,049.

Meanwhile, as of May 25, there were 84,449 adults on inpatient/ day case waiting lists nationally, 7,211 of whom were waiting for treatment at Cork hospitals.

Of these, the highest number of people awaiting treatment in Cork was at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital where 3,926 people were waiting for treatment.

“People are now being expected to wait critically long periods of time for life-changing, and life-saving, treatment,” Mr Gould said.

“With almost 75,000 people on waiting lists across Cork hospitals, we cannot forget that every single one of these numbers is a person.

“These are people whose families and loved ones are deeply concerned about their health.

“These are people whose lives are impacted by this waiting game.

“The vast majority of those waiting are seeking outpatient treatment.

“Many of these could be treated in the elective hospital that is to be built in Glanmire.

“However, delay after delay means it will be 2027 before this hospital is operational.

“In the meantime, is the Government just going to allow waiting lists in Cork to spiral out of control? It is beyond unacceptable.”