Almost 85,000 on Cork hospital waiting lists last month

Nearly 85,000 people were waiting for appointments in one of six Cork hospitals last month, including 8,321 children.

The September hospital waiting list figures, published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), show that nearly 90% of the waiting list was people waiting for outpatient treatment.

There were 37,836 people waiting for procedures in South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) and 29,987 in Cork University Hospital (CUH).

There were a further 7,104 people on waiting lists for Mercy University Hospital, 4,294 for Cork University Maternity Hospital, 4,171 for Mallow General Hospital and 1,324 for Bantry General Hospital.

It comes amid “significant and widespread disruption” to HSE services on Wednesday, according to the HSE South West, which covers Cork and Kerry.

A spokesperson said that the public sector strike led to the cancellation of all non-urgent healthcare services including routine hospital procedures and outpatient appointments as well as community-based services.

Picketers outside CUH spoke of ongoing issues with staff shortages leading to burnout.

INMO assistant director of industrial relations, Liam Conway, told The Echo that workers “did not want” to be on strike, but that industrial action would continue until issues around the public sector pay deal were resolved.

“The unions are steadfast and we will be out next Wednesday and as needed until the government get real,” 

he said.

The main specialities detailed in the NTPF’s publication of the September waiting lists include orthopaedics, followed by pain relief, dermatology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, gynaecology, neurosurgery and urology.

Across the six waiting lists. 52,997 people were waiting less than six months, 19,036 six months to a year, 8,010 in the 12-18 month band, and 4,674 for more than a year-and-a-half.

Overall, the figures mark a small increase from August waiting list data, and though there was a fall in the amount of people waiting over 18 months, there was an increase in the amount of people waiting more than a year but less than a year and a half.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: “The figures published today show some positive signs.

“However, recent waiting lists have been impacted by the ongoing trend of higher demand and increased referrals, which has offset the significantly increased levels of activity that are being delivered in acute hospitals.

“Demand for scheduled, or planned, care has increased significantly in recent years, exceeding both pre-pandemic levels and demographic expectations.

“While the health service aims to prevent waiting lists from growing, higher levels of referrals can also indicate better access to necessary care, increased awareness of available services, and expanded service provision.

“Growth in the levels of diagnostic activity being achieved may also be contributing to this increased demand.”