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Hundreds of patients back on
surgery waiting list
27.01.15
HUNDREDS of Donegal
patients in need of surgery are being forced back on
to long waiting lists with some 4,000 now waiting
for procedures at Letterkenny General Hospital.
The figure includes 3,116 people still waiting as of
last October with a further 523 patients set to be
added to the queue due to a funding shortfall in the
Outpatient Waiting List initiative.
Inishowen T.D., Charlie McConalogue described the
figures as "completely unacceptable" and criticised
the Government for failing to provide the necessary
funding under the scheme.
"More than 500 people in Donegal had their surgeries
outsourced to other hospitals, but because of this
lack of funding have now been transferred back on to
the public waiting list in Letterkenny, where they
could be waiting up to 18 months to be seen by a
consultant," said Deputy McConalogue. |
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Letterkenny General Hospital. |
“Last week dozens of
patients received letters informing them that as
there was no funding available for the scheme this
year, they are being returned to waiting lists at
Letterkenny General Hospital." He claimed the
Government had used the scheme to "massage" the
waiting list figures but he said the funding had now
been cancelled.
“Patients will now face further delays and will have
to wait for a referral to a consultant at
Letterkenny General Hospital before receiving a date
for their surgery.
"This will also see people already on waiting lists
at the hospital face even longer delays as a result
of the transfer of these patients."
Deputy McConalogue said he had submitted further
Dáil questions to Health Minister Leo Varadkar
asking for funding to be provided for Phase 2 of the
Outpatient Waiting List initiative. |
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