Over 1,300 people in Kerry are waiting for orthopaedic consultations.
The majority are waiting for appointments at University Hospital Kerry, the rest for Cork University Hospital and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork.
That’s according to figures released to Kerry Independent TD Michael Healy Rae, following a recent question to the Minister for Health.
There are over 1,000 (1,023) people in Kerry awaiting orthopaedic consultations in University Hospital Kerry (UHK).
A further 296 Kerry people are waiting for orthopaedic consultations in Cork; 281 for the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and a further 15 for Cork University Hospital.
These figures are as November 24th.
The figures were released to deputy Michael Healy Rae, following a recent question to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, requesting the most recent numbers of people with Kerry addresses waiting on an orthopaedic consultation.
The Independent TD says the Department of Health stated it recognised that waiting times for scheduled appointments and procedures had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Deputy Healy-Rae is urging the Department to move quickly to reduce the numbers in the short term or they’ll have a major patient crisis early in 2023.
He says each number waiting is an anxious patient who needs to be seen as quickly as possible.
