There’s been an 80% increase in the number of people waiting 18 months or longer for an outpatient appointment at Ennis Hospital.
New figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show 351 people were on the waiting list for more than a year and a half at the county town facility at the end of September.
It’s the largest number of people recorded as waiting for 18 months to be seen since May of this year and a major increase on the 196 at the same point in 2025.
Overall, 1,384 people were on a waiting list in Ennis, marginally more than the 1,311 seen at the same time last year.
440 patients were waiting less than six months, 296 were waiting between six months and a year, with the remaining 297 patients waiting between a year and 18 months.
Cardiology again accounted for the lions share of appointments with 1,276 patients on cardiology waiting lists.
93 patients were on a rheumatology waiting list, with the remaining 103 people awaiting a small volume specialty appointment.
Looking at Ennis’ inpatient waiting lists, 890 people were awaiting treatment at the end of September with 709 of these seeking an appointment in Urology.
The demand for outpatient appointments at University Hospital Limerick again recorded a sharp annual increase.
36,149 people were seeking an appointment at the region’s main hospital, up from 28,985 in 2025, with 1,168 people waiting 18 months or more to be seen.
