News

Despite lowered Government reduction targets for 2024, waiting lists continue to grow 24,300 people added to three main waiting lists in the first three months of 2024, missing new Government reduction target by over 34,000; Consultants criticise lack of ambition of Government’s new Action Plan which lowers previous reduction targets of 18% and 10% over past two years to just 6% by end of 2024; less than a 3% reduction was achieved last year; Projected cuts in waiting lists dependent on NTPF removing more than 117,000 people without any treatment through ‘validation programme’; 129,000 were removed from the waiting lists in 2023 under same scheme;  896,500 people on some form of public hospital waiting list at end of first quarter of 2024; an increase of 313,000 (54%) compared with May 2017 when Sláintecare published;   Latest €437m Waiting List Plan will not meet targets unless Government addresses public hospital capacity deficits and Consultant vacancies, say IHCA. IHCA Vice President Prof Gabrielle Colleran: “The NTPF figures released today confirm Consultants’ grave concerns that these waiting lists may take a decade or more to get under control unless the opening of long-promised additional hospital capacity is fast-tracked by the Government, and simultaneously the one in five Consultant posts vacant or filled on a temporary basis are permanently filled.”   The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has today (Friday 12th April 2024) warned that the Government’s Waiting List Action Plan for 2024, launched just over two weeks ago, has already fallen at the first hurdle, just as its previous plans have done over the past two years.   Commenting as the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) released its figures for the end of March, the IHCA said that the three main waiting lists for hospital appointments and treatments have increased by 24,300 (4%) in the first three months of 2024 alone.1 This is compared with an expected pro rata target reduction of 9,800 people by the end of March, giving a shortfall already of over 34,000.     The €437 million Action Plan for 20242 has set a target to reduce waiting lists for outpatient appointments and inpatient and day case treatment and procedures by 39,300 (6%) by the end of December compared with the number waiting at the start of the year. Similar Action Plans in 2022 and 2023 had set ambitious reduction targets of 18% and 10%, but only cut waiting lists by 4% and 3% respectively.    The modest decrease last year was only achieved by removing more than 129,000 people from the waiting lists without any treatment through an NTPF ‘validation programme’.3 This year’s projected cuts in waiting lists are again dependent on the NTPF removing more than 117,000 people without any treatment under the same administrative scheme.   Over 896,500 people were on some form of NTPF waiting list at the end of the first quarter, including numerous less publicised pre-admit, planned procedure and suspension lists, which collectively total over 200,000 for the very first time. The total number of people currently on waiting lists is an increase of almost 313,000 (54%) compared with May 2017 when Sláintecare was published.     Commenting on today’s NTPF figures, IHCA Vice President Professor Gabrielle Colleran said:   “The 2024 Waiting List Action Plan published by the Department of Health just two weeks ago has already fallen at the first hurdle, as did the two previous plans in 2022 and 2023. While we welcome any funding which aims to cut these unacceptably long waiting lists and allow patients access to the care they require, perhaps it is time the Government takes a different approach, if it is doing the same thing over and over again and still expecting to get different results.   “The NTPF figures released today confirm Consultants’ grave concerns that these waiting lists may take a decade or more to get under control unless the opening of long-promised additional hospital capacity is fast-tracked by the Government, and simultaneously the one in five Consultant posts vacant or filled on a temporary basis are permanently filled.   “Unfortunately, we are not confident that any of the 19 actions listed in the Government’s new Waiting List Plan – itself a reduction from the 30 actions listed last year – will adequately address the fundamental issue of the overwhelming shortage of acute hospital beds, outpatient facilities, theatres, diagnostics and other frontline resources required to bring these unacceptable waiting lists down.” 

Consultants warn Action Plan for 2024 is unlikely to achieve significant cuts in waiting lists without fast-tracking increased capacity Over 889,000 people on some form of NTPF waiting list at the end of February 2024; an increase of 111,000 in the past four years;  €1.2bn spent on waiting list initiatives since 2020, with further €407m pledged for Action Plan in 2024 due to be unveiled; Hospital cancellations expected to reach 260,000 in 2023 when full-year figures are released; With additional 260,000 awaiting diagnostic scans, the total number of people on hospital waiting lists is over 1.1 million; IHCA President Prof Rob Landers: “The Government needs to fast-track the opening of the promised 1,500 additional rapid build hospital beds across 15 acute public hospital sites this year and avoid deferring their delivery any further. The impact that the increased presentations to Emergency Departments and the resulting cancellation of surgical procedures is having on patients is clear evidence of the urgent need for this additional capacity.” More than 111,000 people have been added to hospital waiting lists in the past four years, despite the Government spending a staggering €1.2 billion over the same period on initiatives aimed at reducing patient wait times.

Over 60% of patients on inpatient and day case list currently waiting longer than 3 months for treatment  877,700 people on some form of NTPF waiting list at the end of January 2024; an increase of 8,455 people (1%) in a single month; €407m pledged for Waiting List Action Plan in 2024 is €36m (8%) less than allocation in 2023, despite record growth in demand for treatment; Target to offer treatment to all patients waiting longer than 3 months for one of 20 high-volume procedures not met in 2023; 61% (52,700) of patients on inpatient and day case lists currently waiting longer than 3 months for procedure; IHCA President Prof Rob Landers: “The Government needs to honour its pledge to fund treatment for any clinically suitable patient waiting more than three months on the inpatient and day case waiting list.” The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) says it is unacceptable that funding to tackle waiting lists is being cut in 2024 by €36 million (8%) compared with the allocation in 2023, despite record growth in demand for treatment.

Modest reduction in waiting lists last year would not have been achieved if not for NTPF ‘validation’ process Record growth in ‘hidden lists’ brings total to over 869,300 people on some form of NTPF waiting list at the end of the year; a reduction of just 766 people (0.1%) compared with start of 2023;  Government Action Plan fails to deliver waiting list target reduction of 69,000 (10%); only 18,800 (3%) taken off three main lists in 2023; Inpatient/day case waiting list increased by almost 4,200 (5%) in past 12 months; Fall of 4% (22,500) in Outpatient waiting list masked by significant 30% (+9,500) increase in Outpatient suspensions by end of December; IHCA President Prof Rob Landers: “The Government needs to expedite its new €407 million Waiting List Action Plan for 2024 and show more ambition in terms of delivering the additional hospital capacity that is required to meets its reduction targets.” New data analysed by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) confirms that the modest reduction in waiting lists seen in 2023 would not have been achieved had it not been for the fact that around 105,000 people were removed from hospital waiting lists last year without treatment through a National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) ‘validation’ process.1

Over 878,500 people on some form of NTPF waiting list at the end of November; NTPF significantly exceeds its target activity levels for 2023, but main waiting lists fall by just 2,600 due to increased demand for treatment; reduction is offset by increases in other hidden lists; Waiting List Reduction target missed by almost 66,400; IHCA President Prof Rob Landers: “There is nothing to suggest we won’t be in the same position come December 2024, looking back at another year of waisted opportunities to put in place realistic bed and theatre capacity to address unacceptable waiting lists.” With just weeks until the end of the year, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has today (8 December 2023) warned that the Government’s €443 million Action Plan for 2023 will not achieve its target to reduce waiting lists for appointments and hospital treatment by 10% (-69,000), compared with the number waiting at the start of 2023. 

7,370 additional people added to outpatient and inpatient/ day case waiting lists since October 2015; Government on course to miss waiting list reduction target by 3,870;  Orthopaedics, Urology, Dermatology, Rheumatology and Cardiology outpatient waiting lists in North East hospitals increase by 51% on average; One in four approved permanent hospital Consultant posts in the region are not filled as needed; Capacity deficits resulting in average Emergency Department wait times of 10 hours at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital; 1 in 7 patients aged 75 years and older waiting longer than 24 hours for admission or discharge; IHCA President Professor Rob Landers: “The waiting lists and wait times in the North East confirm Consultant’s fears that without addressing the very obvious shortages of Consultants, hospital beds, theatres, diagnostic and other facilities the Government will not address the core problems facing our public hospitals in the region.” The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has warned that patient outcomes across the North East are being compromised due to increasing waiting lists, overstretched emergency departments and growing hospital cancellations.  Severe public hospital capacity deficits across the region along with an ongoing shortage of Consultants is restricting patients from accessing timely, high-quality medical and surgical care.   New analysis from the IHCA shows that between October 2015 and October 2023, an additional 7,370 (+26%) people have been added to hospital outpatient, inpatient and day case waiting lists across the North East.  A total of 36,300 people are currently waiting for hospital care.1   The latest National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures also show an increase in the number of people waiting for treatment at the four hospitals in the region this year. It means that the Government is on course to miss reduction targets set out in the Waiting List Action Plan for 2023 by a wide margin. 

Consultants say paediatric hospitals already experiencing overcrowding and approaching peak levels Child inpatient and day case waiting lists have increased by 13% and 36% respectively since October 2022; As over 883,000 people on some form of NTPF waiting list, including 96,700 children; 264 admitted children treated on trolleys during October at the three Dublin paediatric hospitals; 2,800 children across the country treated on a trolley or chair so far in 2023; IHCA President Prof Rob Landers: “As Consultants, we need and want sustainable solutions to help alleviate the distress of those on unacceptable waiting lists and provide the care patients of all ages so desperately need.” The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has today (10 November 2023) warned that waiting lists for child inpatient and day case treatment have significantly increased over the past year and could deteriorate further this winter due to expected severe overcrowding in our paediatric hospitals.

Government significantly ‘behind target’ of 10% reduction in waiting lists by end of 2023; already facing a 65,000 shortfall by end of September; 893,000 people on some form of NTPF waiting list; which is up almost 23,000 (3%) this year alone and by an additional 309,000 (+53%) people since Sláintecare; IHCA President Prof Robert Landers: “The 2023 Waiting List Action Plan is now unlikely to achieve the reduction targets set for the end of the year. The Government needs to urgently increase public hospital capacity to address the increasing number of patients on waiting lists.” The Health Service will need to provide care to a staggering 82,200 additional people in the next three months if it’s to meet the Government’s waiting list reduction target for year end.

896,700 people on some form of NTPF waiting list; which is up more than 26,600 (3%) this year alone and by an additional 313,000 (+54%) people since Sláintecare; Government significantly ‘behind target’ of 10% reduction in waiting lists by end of 2023; already facing a 63,700 shortfall; This is despite the NTPF removing 49,500 patients from hospital waiting lists in the first six months of the year without any treatment, as part of ‘validation’ scheme.   The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has today (Friday, 15 September 2023) questioned claims by the Department of Health that the Government’s Waiting List Action Plan is running ‘ahead of target’.

Failure to ensure timely care for young patients due to capacity deficits as 1 in 12 children remain stuck on stubbornly high waiting lists – says IHCA   100,800 children on some form of NTPF waiting list; with 1 in 5 (20,600) waiting longer than a year for treatment or assessment in public hospitals; Additional 8,900 children awaiting diagnostic scans at the three Dublin children’s hospitals not included in NTPF waiting lists;  Over 4,400 children on CAMHS waiting lists – almost double the number compared with the start of 2020;  IHCA President Prof Robert Landers: “Thousands of children are not getting the care they need in a timely way. There is a real possibility that they will suffer serious health and developmental issues that could have been reversed or mitigated against if only they were seen in time.”   The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has today (Friday 11 August 2023) expressed its continuing concern at the excessive number of children waiting for an appointment to be treated or assessed in public hospitals.   The warning from Consultants comes as the latest National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures released today reveal that 895,700 people were on some form of hospital waiting list at the end of July, including almost 100,800 children and young people.1   While a recent report highlighted the extent of extreme capacity shortages in Ireland’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the IHCA’s analysis shows that similar capacity deficits are resulting in lengthy waiting lists across a number of paediatric specialties, including Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), Dermatology, Orthopaedics and Cardiology – with some being forced to wait months or years for assessment or treatment.    The IHCA said that difficulty in filling permanent Consultant posts and growing hospital and mental health capacity deficits against increases in demand are the root causes of the unacceptably long child waiting lists. One in five (20,600) children are waiting longer than a year for treatment or assessment by a hospital Consultant. Latest HSE data reveals the number of unfilled permanent Consultant posts has risen to a record 933.2 This is the highest Consultant vacancy rate ever.    Hospital diagnostics are not included in NTPF data which accounts for an additional 8,916 children awaiting CTs, MRIs or ultrasounds at the three Dublin paediatric hospitals alone, bringing the total number awaiting care to almost 110,000 – or 1 in 12 children in the country.3   In addition, a near record 4,421 children4 were on separate CAMHS waiting lists at the end of May 2023 – 128 (3%) additional children added so far this year.5 The CAMHS waiting list has increased by almost a quarter (+865 or 24%) since the start of 2022 and has almost doubled (+2,094 or +90%) since the start of 2020.6   Despite the Government’s €443 million Waiting List Action Plan, which set a target to reduce waiting lists by 10% by the end of the year, the number of children on NTPF waiting lists has actually increased by 3,800 (4%) since the start of 2023, instead of reducing by an expected 5,600 by the end of July. The Association warns that these lists are expected to increase further over the coming months due to a predictable surge in autumn and winter respiratory illnesses and a potential new wave of Covid, leading to further cancellations of schedule care.    Commenting on today’s waiting lists, IHCA President Professor Robert Landers, said: “The monthly NTPF figures have recorded over 100,000 children on waiting lists for hospital care for the fifth consecutive month, with one in five of these children waiting longer than a year to be treated or assessed in public hospitals. This is resulting in thousands of children not getting the care they need in a timely way, and the real possibility that they will suffer serious and lasting health and developmental issues that could have been reversed or mitigated against if only they were seen in time.   “Every single number is an individual child or young person who could be experiencing pain, and a family that may be suffering psychological distress at not knowing when their child will be able to receive treatment. This is a wholly unacceptable situation. Young patients and their parents should not have to fight for care.    “As Consultants, we need and want sustainable solutions to help alleviate this distress and provide the care these children so desperately need. However, we have unresolved hospital capacity deficits and Consultant vacancies that is not being addressed urgently enough. These twin deficits must be addressed by the Government in October’s Budget.”   ENDS Notes: 1. Latest NTFP data as at end July 2023: https://www.ntpf.ie/home/nwld.htm 2. HSE PQ response to Deputy David Cullinane, 23 June 2023: https://www.ihca.ie/_fileupload/NDTP%20Response%20to%20PQ%2027483%2023%20Deputy%20David%20Cullinane%2023062023.pdf   3. Dáil PQ response from Minister Stephen Donnelly to Deputy David Cullinane, 4 May 2023: https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2023-05-04/249/#pq_249 4. HSE PQ response to Deputy Róisín Shortall, 27 July 2003; https://www.ihca.ie/_fileupload/HSE%20PQ%20response%20CAMHS%20by%20CHO%20age%20category%20and%20time%20waiting%20R%C3%B3is%C3%ADn%20Shortall%2027072023.pdf 5. HSE PQ response to Deputy Peadar Tóibín, 31 January 2023; https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/personalpq/pq/2023-pq-responses/february-2023/pq-4887-23-peadar-toibin.pdf 6. Appendix to HSE PQ response to Deputy to Peadar Tóibín, 23 November 2022; https://www.ihca.ie/_fileupload/PQ%2058978-22%20Deputy%20Peader%20Toibin%20re%20CAMHS%20Wait%20list%20for%20past%205%20years%20Appendix.pdf   Media contact:  Niamh Kinsella | niamh.kinsella@finnpartners.com | +353 (0)87 921 9711