More than one in four people on the out-patient waiting list for Mayo General Hospital have been waiting more than a year for their appointment.
That is according to Deputy Dara Calleary (FF ) who has labelled the Government's health strategy a "disaster for the county".
"The latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF ) show that almost 400 people joined the out-patient waiting list at Mayo General Hospital since January, increasing the waiting list by 34 per cent," said Deputy Calleary.
"Over 26 per cent of all patients are waiting more than 12 months for an appointment."
Deputy Calleary said the NTPF previously purchased spare capacity from the private sector to cut the number of public patients waiting for treatment.
“This Government’s decision to strip the NTPF of its main role in driving down hospital waiting lists has proved to be a disaster for Mayo.
"We need a new direction for the health service in Ireland that puts patients and services first," he stated.
