Hundreds waiting over 18 months for outpatient appointment in Tipp

244 are patients at South Tipp General while 55 have been waiting over 18 months to see a consultant at Nenagh Hospital.

Cardiology waiting lists are the main issue in the Clonmel hospital with 86 people between the age of 16 and 64 waiting for over a year and a half for an outpatients clinic appointment – a further 40 people over 65 have also been waiting this long.

The wait for a General Medicine appointment is nearly as bad at STGH with 78 people on the list for over 18 months.

According to the National Treatment Purchase Fund a total of 40 people of all ages are on the list for diabetes clinics since before March last year.

Meanwhile 16 children have been waiting between 9 and 12 months for a first appointment at the paediatrics outpatient clinic.

The Gynaecology waiting list is the biggest problem at Nenagh Hospital – the NTPF figures show 30 women have been waiting over 18 months for an appointment.

Rheumatology clinics in Nenagh have 24 people on waiting lists for over a year and a half while one child has been waiting for a paediatric appointment for the same length of time.

Nationally over half a million people are waiting for an outpatient appointment.