Statement from the IHCA on unacceptable record outpatient waiting lists.
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association has said that it is extremely concerned at the persistent deterioration in the number of people on waiting lists for hospital outpatient appointments.
Dr Donal O’Hanlon, IHCA President, said that based on the NTPF data published today there was a record number of 556,411 people awaiting a hospital outpatient appointment at the end of May. This is an increase of 4,446 on the previous month, including an additional 494 children. In the past five years the increase totals 212,999 or 62% in the overall number of people waiting for an outpatient appointment. The increase has occurred at a time when there are around 500 permanent consultant posts that cannot be filled because of the Government’s inaction.
Dr O’Hanlon said that it is past time for the government to sit down with the IHCA and address the problems which are preventing the filling of 1 in 5 permanent consultant posts to ensure that the population does not have to endure the effects of vacancies in future.
14 June 2019
Ends
Julian Davis
Director | EMEA Crisis & Issues Lead
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