More than 250 patients are waiting 18 months or more for gynaecological appointments at UHG, where the average waiting time is more than 10 months.
The figures come from the HSE and were released to Sinn Féin. Across the State, they show that 30,180 women are on waiting lists for gynaecological appointments. Of these, 14,571 (48.2 per cent ) have been waiting for longer than six months; 8,223 (27.25 per cent ) have been waiting for more than 12 months; and 4,372 have been waiting more that 18 months.
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Sinn Féin Galway West TD Mairead Farrell has called the situation “beyond concerning” and “astonishingly dangerous”.
“A year without seeing a gynaecologist could be a year of living with an undetected problem as well as a year of serious anxiety for many,” she said. “The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, needs to take urgent steps to give the HSE the resources, investment and support required to ensure this backlog is cleared and women can receive medical treatment in a timely way.”
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Dep Farrell said a “perfect storm is brewing” that will result in a severe crisis in women’s healthcare unless action is taken.
“We have a breast check backlog, a cervical smear test backlog and recruitment concerns,” she said. “Women need assurance that their health needs will be met. Most of these delays, but not all, were caused by the curtailment of services due to Covid. Whatever resources are needed should be immediately put in place to avert this potential crisis before it is too late.”
