HSE responds to almost 200-week waiting list for patient at Tullamore Hospital

The HSE has responded to the 175-week waiting time handed to a patient in recent weeks.

"The HSE accepts that no one should be waiting for more than its target of one year for an outpatient appointment and that Tullamore hospital has almost 16,000 people waiting for a New Outpatient Appointment at the moment."

Commenting on the almost 200 week wait for an outpatient appointment at the Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore the HSE said that it regrets that anyone has to wait more than one year.

"The Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore is the regional centre for high referral specialities such as Orthopaedics and Ear Nose and Throat (ENT).

"In the first quarter of this year, 16,266 patients, both new and return were seen by our consultants in an outpatient setting." 

"A further 1,942 patients were offered appointments but failed to attend and did not make contact in advance to allow those appointments to be offered to others on our waiting lists."

"Currently at MRH Tullamore, we have 15,898 patients awaiting a new outpatient appointment. The waiting times for new appointments vary greatly across our range of specialities and are published weekly."

"The hospital accepts that no person should be waiting longer than the national 52-week target for an outpatient appointment and regret where a person is waiting beyond this period."

"We constantly strive to reduce waiting times for all patients and there are many initiatives and pathways being pursued in an effort to meet the ever-growing demands on our services."

"We work closely with the NTPF and utilise their support in offering appointments elsewhere as appropriate," the HSE spokesperson said.