Sinn Féin spokesperson on Health and TD for Waterford David Cullinane has expressed concern that nearly 50,000 people across the south-east are on hospital waiting lists at Waterford University Hospital (UHW).

He called on the Government to honour commitments and introduce targeted measures to improve UHW, such as the promised expansion of ICU, endoscopy and general bed capacity, as well as an elective centre of excellence in orthopaedics.

Teachta Cullinane said:

“The fact that there are nearly 50,000 people on hospital waiting lists at UHW from across the south-east is extremely frustrating – they face exceptionally high wait times.

“This is equivalent to the entire city of Waterford on waiting lists, which is unacceptable.

“It is essential that the Minister for Health publishes a fully costed and resourced waiting list reduction plan. It is a matter of urgency yet this plan is sitting on his desk.

“This is a major regional hospital serving the south-east. It illustrates how severe waiting lists have gotten across the state.

“UHW is long promised an elective centre of excellence in orthopaedics and it is long overdue the major three-storey expansion to provide more endoscopies, general inpatient beds and ICU capacity.

“The Minister must deliver these projects quickly and enact efficiency reforms such as giving regions autonomy in recruitment and capital projects to speed up development of our hospitals to tackle the hundreds of thousands on waiting lists across the state.”