The number of patients waiting for hospital appointments has crossed 900,000 in Ireland for the first time in history. As per the latest report from the Irish Hospitals Consultants Associations (IHCA), there are more than 908,500 people on waiting list for an appointment under the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
The Covid surge is one of the reasons for the lengthy waiting list while IHCA also points out the issue of vacant positions of permanent consultant positions all over the country. 1 in 5 positions are still vacant and the government has to address this issue as soon as possible, IHCA said.
The number of outpatient appointments for consultation now stands 652,498, up 8.5% from last year. Among them, more than 268,500 are waiting over 12 months for an assessment.
Many patients in this waiting list suffer from bodily pain and from mental disorders without even knowing when they will get a consultation date.