Hospital waiting lists rose again in January due to widespread cancellations of non-urgent appointments and procedures.
About 2,000 more people were waiting for inpatient procedures last month compared to December 2022, and about 5,000 more were on the outpatient list to see a consultant.
Record overcrowding in emergency departments in early January forced many hospitals to cancel non-scheduled care, leaving operating theatres and consulting rooms empty. Some hospital even cancelled scheduled care appointments in advance, in anticipation of the surge in cases expected after Christmas.
Waiting lists had started to drop marginally in late 2022 as the impact of the Government’s €350 million investment in measures to cut wait-times started to bear fruit, although official targets were missed. The latest figures push hospital performance even further off-course.
Last month, 589,670 patients were waiting to see a consultant, according to the National Treatment Purchase Fund, up from 584,626 in December.
In addition, 83,477 people were waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure, up from 81,568.
The number of patients waiting for a gastrointestinal endoscopy also increased, from 24,029 to 24,749.
Overall waiting lists fell about four per cent last year, well below the projected target of 18 per cent.
The Government has said its main focus is on reducing the number of long waiters on the list. However, the latest monthly figures show an increase in the number of people waiting on lists for more than 18 months.
There were 8,280 inpatients waiting for a procedure for more than 18 months in January, up from 7,919 in December. Some 95,582 people on the outpatient list have been there for at least 18 months, up from 94,354. Finally, 199 patients are waiting more than 18 months for a GI scope, up from 148 in December.
