Hospital lists are surging

WAITING lists at each of the four main Northside hospitals skyrocketed in the past year, according to figures released last week by the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

The figures show that between February last year and February this year, Beaumont Hospital’s waiting list grew by 23 per cent; Cappagh surged by 58 per cent; the Mater was up 40 per cent; and James Connolly Memorial increased by 20 per cent.

The total now waiting for the four local hospitals is 3,885. In February 2014, only 184 people were waiting longer than 12 months across these four hospitals, but now the total waiting more than a year is 2,399.

Waiting times of more than a year in three of the four hospitals have remained more or less the same over the past year but in February 2014 there were just 183 patients waiting more than 12 months at Beaumont Hospital compared to 1,044 last month.

Dublin North West TD Róisín Shortall (Ind) described the jump in waiting lists over the past year as

“appalling

?.

“It reflects ever growing concern among the public about access to public hospital services and a growing crisis in Accident & Emergency departments,

? she said.

“Fine Gael and Labour promised that health would be a priority for this Government but after four years, we still have the same old problems.

?

Dublin West Fianna Fail candidate, Cllr Jack Chambers, also expressed alarm at what he called

“the shocking surge

? in waiting lists across Dublin hospitals.

“The waiting lists for outpatient procedures have spiralled out of control, with the numbers waiting for outpatient procedures for more than a year increasing eight fold in Connolly Hospital, the Mater and St James since last year,

? he said.

“The Eye and Ear Hospital is under severe pressure with 3,199 patients who are now waiting for over a year for their procedure.

“That’s an increase of 2,945 since February last year when there were 254 patients waiting for over a year.

Cllr Chambers said the figures show the health system is out of control.

“These figures are nothing short of alarming,

? he added.

“The dramatic increase in patient waiting lists in the space of a year is a major cause of concern and it begs the question – where will these waiting lists be this time next year?

“We cannot stand over a situation where thousands of patients in Dublin are waiting for more than a year to get the treatment they need and this number is increasing significantly every single month.

“It’s clear the hospitals are in crisis and they are simply not in a position to cope with patient demand as their resources are cut.

Cllr Chambers is calling for a longer-term system of community based primary care to take patients out the acute hospital system.

“I am genuinely fearful that lives are now being put at risk as sick people get sicker while waiting months and months for the treatment they need,

? he said.

A spokesman from the Department of Health said it was important to recognize that the NTPF figures included those waiting very short periods of time as well as patients on the list for longer periods.

“Despite higher levels of hospital activity, with scheduled admissions increasing by 1.2 per cent in 2014, and outpatient appointments increasing by 25 per cent, greater demands for hospital care have resulted in waiting list increases, as the demand for new appointments currently exceeds the numbers who are attending outpatient clinics or receiving treatment,

? he said.

“The HSE has already put in place specific measures to address waiting lists more efficiently in collaboration with acute hospitals, the SDU and the NTPF.

“These include observation of the National Waiting List Protocol (2014), adherence to relevant HSE National Clinical Programme guidelines and prioritising day-of-surgery admission where clinically appropriate.

“The Minister for Health, taking into account current pressures on acute hospital services, has put in place a target that by mid-year nobody will wait more than 18 months for in-patient and day case treatment or an out-patient appointment; by year-end, that target will be revised to a wait time of no more than 15 months.

“The HSE is currently working on an implementation plan to achieve these targets.

?