40,500 patients on waiting lists for Limerick hospitals

MORE THAN 40,500 patients were stuck on a waiting list for treatment and appointments in hospitals across the city and county in July, according to new figures.

In a monthly report published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund this week, there were 40,539 inpatients and outpatients on a waiting list at University Hospital Limerick, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and St John’s Hospital.

This is a fraction of an increase on NTPF’s June figures, where there were 40,428 patients waiting for treatment and appointments in Limerick.

The figures show that 4,301 people seeking treatment were left on a waiting list last month; 2,985 of whom were at UHL, while 1,027 and 289 were at St John’s and Croom, respectively.

There was a slight increase in UHL patients seeking appointments, at 28,402, the figures show. St John’s cut its outpatient numbers by 200, with 1,228 patients on a waiting list.

There were 6,608 patients on a waiting list for appointments at Croom Orthopaedic Hospital.

There has been an increase in those on the waiting list for more than 18 months. There were 160 patients at UHL waiting for treatment for more than 18 months — a 34-person drop in June figures. There was an 85 person jump in those waiting for appointments in Limerick hospitals in July, at 5,097.

Meanwhile, overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick reached winter levels on Wednesday morning, when there were 50 patients being treated on emergency department trolleys and on additional trolleys or beds in the wards at Dooradoyle.

It was the worst in the country, INMO figures show.  Condemning this rate overcrowding, Deputy Quinlivan said: “Huge numbers remain on trolleys – despite the assurances from the government that they are committed to tackling the crisis.  On top of this waiting lists are lengthening daily and the level of unmet need in our health service is increasing.  

“We cannot continue like this with people lingering on trollies’ for hours on end. We need an intelligent, coherent and progressive plan to end this crisis. Sinn Féin is serious about addressing this crisis.”