UHG OUTPATIENT WAITING LIST BRANDED UNACCEPTABLE BY HEALTH FORUM CHAIRMAN
Date Published: 28-Nov-2012
The HSE West has admitted that the outpatient waiting list at Galway University Hospitals is a major challenge and will be a primary focus in 2013.
Over 41 thousand patients are on waiting lists for an outpatient appointment, with half of these waiting longer than a year.
A meeting of the regional health forum west heard that GUH is treating over 4 thousand outpatients a week.
Director designate of the Galway Roscommon hospital group Bill Maher told the meeting that despite this high output new patients are constantly being added to the list.
He added that key actions were being implemented and hospital staff are working closely with the special delivery unit to reduce waiting times for appointments.
Chairman of the HSE West regional forum, Padraig Conneely says the current number of outpatients is 'unacceptable'.