Inpatient waiting list at MRH Mullingar up 113pc in two years

The number of people waiting for inpatient/day case treatment at Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar has increased by 113% over the last two years according to new figures by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA).

The Association’s figures reveal that there were 991 patients waiting for inpatient/day case treatment at MRH Mullingar at the end of May compared to 465 in May 2020, an increase of 113% and by far the highest increase of any hospital in the country.

Nationally, the highest waiting lists for inpatient/day case treatment during the entire pandemic were recorded in May 2020, when 86,946 patients were awaiting hospital treatment – however, while most hospitals have seen their inpatient/day case waiting lists decrease somewhat since that peak, data analysed by the IHCA reveals significant increases in the number of patients awaiting treatment at MRH Mullingar and several other hospitals, including, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital in Limerick (63%), Wexford General Hospital (64%), and Portiuncula (45%).

The latest National Treatment Purchase Fund figures released on Friday show that almost 902,000 were on a waiting list for hospital appointments or treatment at the end of May.

IHCA president Professor Alan Irvine says that the long waiting lists is “the latest manifestation of the years of persistent underinvestment in bed capacity and the ongoing consultant recruitment and retention crisis”.

“Our public hospitals are simply unable to cope with the acute demands they now face,” he said.

“We came into 2020 with our public hospital services extremely challenged – short of hospital and ICU beds, short of consultants and short of the financial supports to address these capacity deficits.

“While the health budget has increased significantly over the last two years, we cannot say the same for our hospital bed capacity or our consultant staffing.

“Without addressing the shortage of consultants, hospital beds, theatres, diagnostic and other facilities, the government will not address the core problems facing our public hospitals.

“In particular, it is imperative the 838 vacant consultant posts are filled if we are to effectively address the record public hospital waiting lists and excessive waiting times patients are forced to endure to access emergency departments.

“To achieve that, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly must restart the hospital consultant contract talks that have been stalled for six months.”

Meanwhile, new HSE figures obtained by Sinn Féin show there are currently 260 people aged over 75 waiting longer than a year for an appointment at Mullingar hospital.

Reacting to the data, Deputy Sorca Clarke said that Minister Donnelly’s short-term waiting list plans have not made inroads into waiting lists; while emergency department overcrowding is also at record levels and more than 14,000 appointments were cancelled across the state in April.

“It is scandalous that over 260 patients aged over 75 are waiting longer than a year for a hospital appointment at Mullingar Hospital,” Deputy Clarke said.

“Patients continue to wait longer than ever for healthcare, and it is having severe effects on their conditions, especially for older people.

“Treatment is not accessible or affordable for the great majority of people. There are more than 900,000 patients on hospital waiting lists, and 87,000 of them are over 75.

“More than 25,000 people aged over 75 are waiting longer than a year, 261 of them at Regional Hospital Mullingar. And of those waiting over a year, 170 are waiting more than 18 months.

“The Health Service needs more than promises. We need a serious plan to reform the health service, boost capacity and staffing levels, equip our healthcare professionals, and cut wait times to deliver the timely care that patients need and deserve.”