Hospitals’ outpatients list cut in half since start of year

The outpatients waiting list in the Galway and Roscommon hospital group has been reduced by half since the beginning of the year.

In January, it stood at 43,567 but by the end of May that had been reduced to 20,080, said Bill Maher, CEO of the Galway and Roscommon University Hospitals Group.

He said it had been one of their main priorities for this year and they had embarked on a major project to change the way the outpatient services are managed.

Tony Canavan, Chief Operating Officer updated Tuesday’s HSE Regional Forum meeting following the publication of its National Incident Management Team report last week.

He said all the hospitals in the group – UHG, Merlin Park, Portiuncula in Ballinasloe and Roscommon – were working hard to provide appointments on dates that suited patients in order to reduce ‘no shows.’

Last year, across the hospital group, 38,341 patients did not go to their appointments or tell the hospital in advance. This cost the group €3,067,280 in lost time preparing for appointments for patients who did not turn up.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed this week that there will be no ward closures in University Hospital Galway this summer. 

For more on this story, see today’s Connacht Tribune