SIX YEAR WAITING LIST FOR EIGHT THOUSAND ORTHOPAEDIC PATIENTS

Date Published: 24-May-2012

The HSE West is joining forces with the special delivery unit on a national initiative in an effort to reduce out-patient waiting times at Galway University Hospitals.

Eight thousand people are waiting over six years for orthopaedic outpatient services at Galway University hospitals.

According to figures released at this months regional health forum meeting, it’s the longest waiting list for any outpatient department at GUH.

Nephrology out-patients face a wait of more than five-and-a-half years for an appointment; while the wait for urology patients is more than five years.

Chair of the regional health forum councillor Padraig Conneelly, described the figures as horrendous.

However, the HSE has defended its action on wait lists, saying it has already started to work on action plans to reduce waiting times.