Record waiting lists a consequence of hospital consultant shortage, says IHCA
Soaring hospital waiting lists highlight the impact the consultant shortage is having on patient care, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) has said.
Latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) showed that the consultant waiting list surged by 152 per cent over the past 12 months.
The number of people waiting more than 12 months to see a specialist, according to the NTPF, has increased by 4,133 since the start of the year; while, at the same time, 9,248 individuals have been added to adult general surgery outpatient waiting list.
“Each statistic represents a person waiting for the care they desperately need, while potentially deteriorating clinically or living in pain,” IHCA President