More than a quarter of children waiting for a hospital appointment in the MidWest have been on the list for more than 18 months.
More than 44,000 people are waiting for an appointment at University Hospital Limerick or Ennis Hospital.
The latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show that as of October, 44,138 adults and children were waiting to be seen at either UHL or Ennis Hospital.
4,662 minors are waiting to see a consultant in the region, with 1,183 (or 25%) of those on the list for over 18 months.
The majority of children in need of care are waiting for an appointment at UHL.
Similarly, the majority of adults are also waiting on an appointment at the Dooradoyle facility – with 35,907 people still in need of an outpatient appointment there.
28% of adults on the outpatient list at the region’s main hospital have been waiting more than a year and a half.
While the overall waiting list is reducing month-on-month, the number of people waiting for an inpatient appointment at Ennis Hospital increased in October.
352 patients were recorded on the list last month, compared to 326 in September – a rise of 7% in four weeks.
