Waterford hospital waiting lists rise 161% since 2013

Waiting lists at University Hospital Waterford have soared since it was put into the same hospital group as Cork instead of heading its own group in the southeast, new figures show.

The waiting lists for inpatient and day-case procedures in Waterford have grown at four times the rate in the overall south-southwest group, according to the figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund.

Since 2013, the lists in Waterford are up 161 per cent, compared to 48 per cent for the group overall. In contrast, lists at Cork University Hospital are down 27 per cent, the figures compiled by Fianna Fáil reveal.

Waterford’s share of the waiting list within the group has gone from 23 per cent to 41 per cent over this period. Whereas no one in Waterford was waiting longer than 12 months in 2013, today more than 1,100 people are on the inpatient waiting list – 60 per cent of the numbers on the waiting list in the entire group.

Aggravate

The figures are likely to further aggravate public opinion in the city, which is already smarting at the finding of a Government report that suggests cardiac services in the local hospital should be downgraded.

Consultants at the hospital say the independent review by Belfast-based cardiologist Dr Niall Herity was based on incorrect population estimates and failed to take account of the clinical risks faced by patients with serious heart problems living in the southeast.

The campaign group in Waterford has blamed the Department of Health for briefing against its proposals for a 24/7 cardiac service in the city and the provision of a second catheterisation lab.

In a briefing document prepared for the review team, the department argued that Waterford did not have the population to justify an extension of the cardiac service, which “would be wasteful of very limited resources”.

“Such a unit might struggle to achieve the levels of activity essential to maintain operator and unit competency, potentially compromising patient safety. Staffing an extended service might also represent a challenge.”

The campaign has also blamed senior staff and consultants in Cork for briefing against their demands by claiming Waterford mainly engaged in “low-risk” cardiac work.

When hospital groups were being formed in 2013, there was a campaign in Waterford for the creation of a southeastern regional group led by the local hospital.

University Hospital Waterford was ultimately lumped in with hospitals in the south and southwest, with Cork University Hospital as the lead hospital.