More than 80,000 wait for treatment in Cork hospitals

Cork hospital waiting lists have reached their highest figure in nearly a year, as the number of people awaiting procedures has risen over 80,000, with more than 18% of these waiting more than a year to be seen.

In total, 80,804 people were awaiting treatment at a Cork hospital as of the end of October 2025, including 71,813 on outpatient and 8,991 on inpatient waiting lists — this marks an increase from 79,700 last month and is the highest monthly figure since November of last year.

Latest data from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) shows that South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital had the longest waiting lists in Cork, with 34,690 adults and 3,644 children awaiting procedures.

This was followed by Cork University Hospital, with 22,049 adults and 4,892 children; Mercy University Hospital with 6,477 adults and five children; Cork University Maternity Hospital with 4,817 adults and 356 children; Mallow General Hospital with 2,785 adults and 44 children, and Bantry General Hospital with 1,045 adults waiting for treatment.

The total figure is made up of 48,822 people waiting less than six months to be treated; 17,294 waiting six to 12 months; 7,962 waiting 12-18, and 6,726 waiting more than 18 months, meaning 14,688 people are waiting over a year.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said increases in waiting list volumes in the early part of this year “represented an anticipated multi-annual trend arising from the winter surge in demand for unscheduled and emergency care and elevated levels of respiratory illness circulating”.

“We have continued to see increases in waiting list volumes through the year,” they said, adding the HSE “anticipates the increases in waiting list volumes will stabilise and performance will improve in the coming weeks”, with a particular focus now on reducing the number of patients waiting more than a year, and the department is engaging with the HSE and NTPF to develop an action plan for 2026.