A shortage of consultants, coupled with a rise in the number of urgent referrals, is being blamed for growing waiting lists at the region’s hospitals.
The UL Hospitals Group is responding to the latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund, which show the number of people waiting at least 18 months for inpatient or outpatient appointments is on the rise.
Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:
Figures revealed by Clare FM yesterday show that the number of people waiting a year and a half for an outpatient appointment at University Hospital Limerick rose by 82% between January and June to over 3,500.
While at Ennis General, the number of people waiting the same time jumped from 92 to 105.
The UL Hospitals Group says this increase has followed an increase in the number of urgent referrals in some specialties, and a shortage of consultants in others.
In 2016, the five hospitals within the group saw over 228,000 outpatients and almost 57,000 day case patients, and the hospital group was the only one in the country to achieve all of its targets last year.
The UL Hospitals Group says it continues to work towards meeting waiting list targets and that addressing consultant shortages forms part of the its budgetary process for 2017.
Full Statement from the UL Hospitals Group:
In 2016, UL Hospitals Group saw over 228,000 outpatients and almost 57,000 day case patients and the numbers currently waiting for inpatient or outpatient appointments can be viewed in this context. UL Hospitals Group achieved all waiting list target times for inpatient and day case procedures as set out in the HSE National Service Plan 2016 – the only hospital group in the country to do so.
UL Hospitals Group continues to work towards meeting the waiting list targets as set out in the National Service Plan for 2017. To achieve this, UL Hospitals is maximising all existing capacity across the group and additional internal capacity is also being provided in particular specialties to cater for those patients waiting 12 months or longer for an appointment or treatment.
All patients who are waiting – either for their initial outpatient appointment or for a surgical procedure – are prioritised according to medical need. Beyond this, and in accordance with the national targets, UL Hospitals Group will continue to focus on seeing and treating those who have been waiting the longest.
Among the reasons for the increase in the number of patients waiting for appointments is the significant growth in demand; an increase in the number of urgent referrals in some specialties and a shortage of consultants in other specialties. Addressing the shortage of these senior clinical decision-makers in the key specialties concerned forms part of the UL Hospitals Group budgetary process for 2017.
Consultant, nursing support and clerical staff across our surgical, anaesthetic, medicine and diagnostic disciplines work together in a collaborative manner to ensure that all of our patients are treated in the most timely manner possible.
