Almost 1,000 patients on waiting lists at Portlaoise hospital

There are almost 1,000 on waiting lists for outpatient and inpatient appointments at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

Figures published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) show that 5,438 are on outpatient waiting lists at the hospital including 1,224 children. There are also 489 on inpatient waiting lists including 19 children. 

The majority of people on outpatient waiting lists are waiting for gynaecology procedures (1,490) followed by general surgery (957). 

There are also another 71 on the planned procedure list – these are patients who have had treatment but require additional treatment at a future date.

In comparison to this time last year there has been a 75 per cent increase in the numbers on inpatient waiting lists while the numbers on outpatient waiting lists at Portlaoise hospital has reduced by 5% from 5,728 in February 2023 to 5,438 this year. 

Nationally the NTPF figures reveal that 889,200 people were on some form of hospital waiting list at the end of February. This is an increase of over 111,000 people compared with the number waiting for care in February 2020.

The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) said the significant increase in waiting lists compared with pre-pandemic levels comes despite the Government allocating €1.233 billion since 2020 to cut waiting lists and wait times for treatment.