By Iain Gray
WAITING lists for both inpatient and outpatient procedures in this area have shot up since the start of this year.
According to recently released statistics covering January through June, inpatient waiting lists went up 7.7% over six months, while the number of people waiting for an outpatient procedure increased by 14.5%.
The South Eastern Health Trust has admitted that the situation is ‘regrettably, not the service [they] want to provide’, with an official adding: “The demand for our specialities continues to outstrip our capacity.”
However, the Trust went on to point a finger at local people for some of the problems, blaming large numbers of people who skipped appointments without warning for wasting NHS time and money.
The new statistics show that by far the worst department for inpatients in this Trust area was gastroenterology, which as of June had 4,732 people waiting to be seen – more than twice as much as the next longest waiting list.
The worst sections for outpatients are ear, nose and throat’s 14,989-strong waiting list, followed by 13,077 people waiting for gynaecology treatment, 10,150 on the plastic surgery list and 9,599 dermatology patients waiting to be seen.
Due to the introduction of a new digital-only records system called Encompass, statistical experts warn that the figures are considered to be ‘in development’ and don’t draw any comparisons between the South Eastern area and any of the other four health trusts in Northern Ireland.
When queried about Encompass-derived statistics in recent months, however, the Department of Health has been adamant that they’re reliable.
A South Eastern Trust spokeswoman stated that reducing waiting lists is a priority for officials, who are ‘working very hard’ on the issue.
“We really want to treat patients as quickly as possible, as we fully understand the distress any wait can cause to our patients and their families,” said the spokeswoman.
”Unfortunately the demand for our specialities continues to outstrip our capacity and this means patients may have to wait longer for assessment and treatment. This is an issue which is being experienced in every trust across Northern Ireland.
“Regrettably this is not the service we want to provide.”
The spokeswoman added that last year, 22,000 appointments were missed in the South Eastern area – wasting, she said, anywhere from £200 to £2,500 every time it happens.
“Without prior notice, we can’t offer these appointments to other patients on waiting lists,” said the spokeswoman.
“We have now implemented text reminders for all our consultant-led clinics to try and ensure these appointments are not wasted and waiting lists can be further reduced.
“The Trust is continuing to seek alternative ways to provide outpatient consultations to help reduce our waiting lists, such as virtual or telephone appointments, advice and guidance.”
