OVER 3,000 patients at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) are among the nearly 80,000 people across Ireland who have been waiting over a year for outpatient medical appointments, according to HSE activity and performance data.
1,232 patients have been waiting between 12 to 15 months, 714 patients between 15 to 18 months, and 1,062 have been waiting more than 18 months for outpatient appointments.
Of that total, 644 patients are waiting for a cardiology appointment, 401 for vascular surgery, 1,425 waiting to access dermatology services, 141 for endocrinology care, and 143 waiting to see a gastroenterologist.
An internal audit revealed that UHL failed to conduct a competitive procurement process for €20.3million spent to reduce the size of the waiting list, including over €2m paid to three private companies with links to staff members.
While the auditors said there was no evidence the employees had any involvement in awarding those contracts, the process allegedly broke procedural rules.
When asked to comment on the waitlist by the Limerick Post, a HSE spokesperson highlighted that demand for scheduled care continues to grow across the region.
They noted that 43,100 outpatient appointments took place in 2023, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year.
The spokesperson said that “all GP referrals are graded by a consultant and patients are seen according to clinical need, with urgent cases being the highest priority. Beyond this, we will continue to focus on seeing and treating those who have been waiting the longest.”
The HSE outlined several initiatives aimed at tackling waiting lists, including virtual clinics, expanded outpatient services, and efforts to recruit additional consultants.
Since January 2020, UHL has increased its total number of consultants from 165 to 234, which has contributed to a reduction of approximately 6,000 patients on the waiting list last year.
The HSE also emphasised its plans to further enhance capacity, citing the development of new outpatient facilities in Nenagh and Ennis, the upgrading of theatre complexes, and the granting of planning permission for a Limerick Surgical Hub at Scoil Carmel.
Recruitment of additional consultants, nurses, and healthcare professionals remains a key priority to reduce waiting times.
With the audit findings now published, the focus is on UHL’s next steps to ensure transparency and improved patient care amidst increasing demand.
“We fully accept the findings of the internal audit report and we are working with colleagues nationally on the establishment of an enhanced procurement support function within the HSE Mid West to ensure full compliance in future,” the spokesperson said.
“Reducing waiting times for scheduled care patients remains a key priority for HSE Mid West.”
