Menu
30/05/2019
Investment Needed To Tackle Hospital Waiting Lists
"Sustained investment" is required to address the backlog of hospital waiting lists, the Department of Health has said today.
It comes as the most recent quarterly statistics reveal that over 288,754 patients were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment at the end of March 2019.
That figure is up by 7,003 on December last year and 18,920 (7%) on March 2018.
Over three quarters (213,708) of patients waited more than nine weeks, while around a third (97,851) waited over one year.
The figures exceed the Ministerial targets for outpatient waiting times which stand at 50% of patients waiting no longer than nine weeks, with no one expected to wait longer than 52 weeks.
The DoH said waiting times have been continually rising since 2014 as a result of wider financial pressures on the system, with budgets increasingly stretched to maintain existing services and funding to suppress waiting time growth limited in supply.
Alongside sustained investment, longer term action is also required to prevent the problem recurring. That means transformation of health and social care – improving the capacity of the system to ensure that the growing demand for care is met. The gap between current capacity and demand will not be bridged in any other way, according to the DoH.
Transformation initiatives include the establishment of day case elective care centres – new standalone specialist day surgery units. Centres for cataract and varicose veins have been operational since December 2018 and there are plans to transfer thousands of other day case routine operations to dedicated elective care centre locations by December 2020.
The worrying waiting time statistics are mirrored in terms of diagnostic services. Ministerial targets stated that by March 2019, 75% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a diagnostic test, with no patient waiting longer than 26 weeks.
130,351 were still waiting for a diagnostic test however, with almost half (64,360) waiting over nine weeks and 21.7% (28,310) left for over 26 weeks.
(JG/CM)
It comes as the most recent quarterly statistics reveal that over 288,754 patients were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment at the end of March 2019.
That figure is up by 7,003 on December last year and 18,920 (7%) on March 2018.
Over three quarters (213,708) of patients waited more than nine weeks, while around a third (97,851) waited over one year.
The figures exceed the Ministerial targets for outpatient waiting times which stand at 50% of patients waiting no longer than nine weeks, with no one expected to wait longer than 52 weeks.
The DoH said waiting times have been continually rising since 2014 as a result of wider financial pressures on the system, with budgets increasingly stretched to maintain existing services and funding to suppress waiting time growth limited in supply.
Alongside sustained investment, longer term action is also required to prevent the problem recurring. That means transformation of health and social care – improving the capacity of the system to ensure that the growing demand for care is met. The gap between current capacity and demand will not be bridged in any other way, according to the DoH.
Transformation initiatives include the establishment of day case elective care centres – new standalone specialist day surgery units. Centres for cataract and varicose veins have been operational since December 2018 and there are plans to transfer thousands of other day case routine operations to dedicated elective care centre locations by December 2020.
The worrying waiting time statistics are mirrored in terms of diagnostic services. Ministerial targets stated that by March 2019, 75% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a diagnostic test, with no patient waiting longer than 26 weeks.
130,351 were still waiting for a diagnostic test however, with almost half (64,360) waiting over nine weeks and 21.7% (28,310) left for over 26 weeks.
(JG/CM)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
22 May 2017
Concerns Raised Over Adult Mental Health Patients
The number of adult mental health patients waiting longer than nine weeks to access key services has more than doubled from 338 in March 2016 to over 800 in March 2017, according to new figures. Ulster Unionist Mental Health spokesperson, Robbie Butler MLA, warned that mental health patients could be coming to harm.
Concerns Raised Over Adult Mental Health Patients
The number of adult mental health patients waiting longer than nine weeks to access key services has more than doubled from 338 in March 2016 to over 800 in March 2017, according to new figures. Ulster Unionist Mental Health spokesperson, Robbie Butler MLA, warned that mental health patients could be coming to harm.
30 August 2018
Over 200,000 Waiting More Than Nine Weeks For First Hospital Appointment
As of the end of June 2018, more than 200,000 patients (73.2%) were waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, according to the latest quarterly Northern Ireland Waiting Times Statistics. The statistics have been published today by the Department of Health.
Over 200,000 Waiting More Than Nine Weeks For First Hospital Appointment
As of the end of June 2018, more than 200,000 patients (73.2%) were waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, according to the latest quarterly Northern Ireland Waiting Times Statistics. The statistics have been published today by the Department of Health.
28 May 2021
Call For Urgent Meeting To Address Waiting List Crisis
The SDLP is calling for an urgent meeting with the Finance and Health Ministers after further details of the extent of the waiting list crisis have been published. MLAs Cara Hunter and Matthew O'Toole said that this is the biggest crisis facing people in Northern Ireland and it must be the most urgent priority for political leaders.
Call For Urgent Meeting To Address Waiting List Crisis
The SDLP is calling for an urgent meeting with the Finance and Health Ministers after further details of the extent of the waiting list crisis have been published. MLAs Cara Hunter and Matthew O'Toole said that this is the biggest crisis facing people in Northern Ireland and it must be the most urgent priority for political leaders.
02 September 2005
Outpatient hospital waiting list figures rise
The number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment has increased in the last three months by almost 6%. The figures published by the Department of Health revealed that the number of patients waiting for an initial outpatient consultation had risen by 9,385 to 176,523, an increase of 5.6% on the previous quarter.
Outpatient hospital waiting list figures rise
The number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment has increased in the last three months by almost 6%. The figures published by the Department of Health revealed that the number of patients waiting for an initial outpatient consultation had risen by 9,385 to 176,523, an increase of 5.6% on the previous quarter.
02 April 2003
Rise in transplant waiting list sparks donor appeal
The latest figures from the office of the Transplant Co-ordinator in Belfast City Hospital have revealed that the number of people in the province awaiting organ transplants has risen. Some 240 people are currently waiting for major organ transplants such as heart, kidney, liver or lungs - an increase of almost 60 people on this time last year.
Rise in transplant waiting list sparks donor appeal
The latest figures from the office of the Transplant Co-ordinator in Belfast City Hospital have revealed that the number of people in the province awaiting organ transplants has risen. Some 240 people are currently waiting for major organ transplants such as heart, kidney, liver or lungs - an increase of almost 60 people on this time last year.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:It will be cloudy with a spell of heavy rain pushing south through late evening and the early hours, soon followed by some clear spells. Minimum temperature 6 °C.
