More than 6,000 people nationally are waiting for an Ear, Nose,Throat (ENT ) inpatient/day case appointment, with a quarter of those waiting for more than a year, according to recent figures released to Fianna Fáil TD for Roscommon-Galway, Eugene Murphy.
Deputy Murphy recently tabled a parliamentary question with the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, in relation to the number of patients waiting for an ENT in each of the CHO areas at the end of January, 2018.
“The figures revealed that nationally there are a total of 6,470 patients waiting for an ENT appointment, with 1,601 or a quarter of those people waiting for a year or more, which is totally unacceptable," Deputy Murphy said.
“The Saolta Hospital Group, which includes University Hospital Galway, Roscommon University Hospital, Portiuncula University Hospital, Mayo, Letterkenny and Sligo Hospitals, had the highest number of people on a waiting list for an ENT appointment, with a total of 1,839, which accounts for 28 per cent of the national total waiting list.
“A breakdown of the figures for the Saolta Hospital group shows that some 569 people in that group were waiting for one year or more, which is systematic once again of a health service which is failing to deliver for people. Waiting list after waiting list seems to be hallmark of our health service. The Government needs to address these growing waiting lists."
