Thousands on waiting lists
A Leeside TD has called on the Government to immediately address Cork’s “out of control” health service crisis.
Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said there are vulnerable people in Cork waiting months, if not years, for services that could have huge impacts on their quality of life.
According to the Cork North Central TD, there are currently 8,540 people waiting for ophthalmology treatment in Cork.
“It has to be acknowledged that during these waits, conditions which were simple or minor often become much more complex and serious. Each of these people has a family concerned for them. The impact this is having on the lives of individuals and families is huge,” he said.
Other figures provided by the deputy showed that 1,207 Cork people are on a waiting list for colonoscopies, 12 of whom have been waiting for longer than 18 months.
Deputy Gould said: “Alongside this, 2,205 people are awaiting endoscopies with over 15% of these waiting over 6 months.
“The problem that we have now is that hospitals have no capacity to treat minor cases and so, minor cases become severe.”
He continued: “Failure to undertake these diagnostic procedures could see serious conditions go untreated. People cannot be allowed to fall through the gaps in healthcare anymore.”
He also said full details of the new elective hospital for Cork are yet to be announced: “While the Minister for Health has confirmed a location has been chosen, no announcement has been made and progress hasn’t started. It is time for proper investment in our health services – investment that will see a health service that delivers for people,” he said.
During a recent debate at Dáil Éireann, Deputy Gould asked the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD to comment on the matter of waiting times in Cork. In his response, Minister Donnelly said Covid-19 had affected waiting lists greatly and said significant work was being done to improve the situation: “The 2022 Waiting List Action Plan, which was launched on 25 February, allocates €350 million to the HSE and NTPF to reduce waiting lists. Under this plan, the Department, HSE, and NTPF will deliver urgent additional capacity for the treatment of patients, as well as investing in longer term reforms to bring sustained reductions in waiting lists.”
He said this represents the 1st stage of multi-annual waiting list programme, which is currently under development in the Department of Health.
“Between them, these plans will work to support short, medium, and long term initiatives to reduce waiting times and provide the activity needed in years to come,” he said.