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Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Over 49,000 people are waiting for inpatient or day case treatments

Some 5,829 people are still waiting over 8 months despite the government’s target to ensure no one waits this long for treatment.

NEW FIGURES SHOW that the total waiting list for inpatient and day case treatments nationally stands at 44,900.

There are 5,829 people waiting over 8 months for treatment, despite the government’s target to ensure that no one is waiting longer than this by the end of 2013.

The new figures were published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund. Commenting on them today, Ian Carter, HSE Director Designate of Acute Hospitals said that earlier this year hospitals were under “considerable pressure due to overcrowding in Emergency Departments. with increased admissions”.

He said this increase, in particular of older people requiring a longer than average stay, caused a slowdown in the delivery of elective treatments.

The HSE said Carter is now working closely with hospital Chief Executives to optimise the use of hospital capacity to reduce waiting times as a matter of urgency.

“Detailed work is underway in matching available capacity with the need for treatments,” he said. “Hospitals are being required to maximise the delivery of treatments ensuring that the longest waiters are treated first; once the most urgent cases are dealt with.”

Read: Doctors warn patients: Expect long waiting times to see your GP>
Read: 105 people every day aren’t turning up for appointments at Galway hospitals>

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    Oct 21st 2013, 5:44 PM

    Regarding the nuclear power plant, what is the nature of the challenge?

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    Oct 21st 2013, 6:19 PM

    Marc
    This is an electronic Journal rather than a Public Information body !

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    Oct 21st 2013, 6:33 PM

    We want cheap energy.we don’t want natural gas ,nuclear,fracking,wind turbines or phone masts. What sort of a schizophrenic nation are we?

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    Oct 21st 2013, 5:43 PM

    No Gerry, or Gilligan, what’s the 5@5 coming too.

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    Mute William Somers
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    Oct 21st 2013, 7:52 PM

    What time is the OAPs protest tomorrow

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