SDLP Health Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA has called for urgent action after it emerged hospitals here are consistently failing target waiting times for A&E, cancer treatment and routine operations.
UK wide figures for 2017/18 have highlighted Northern Ireland as the worst performing region.
The Western Trust came bottom of the list for meeting routing operation targets- seeing only 19.4% of patient referrals within the 13 week timeframe.
Said the Foyle MLA: “It is very clear that our hospitals are struggling.
“These recent waiting time figures whilst shocking, are unfortunately not surprising.
“Our health services are crying out for help and these statistics only serve to confirm the increasing pressures they face every day.
“Every week we hear of yet another appalling experience in regards to lengthy waiting times – of elderly relatives sitting for hours in A&E waiting to be seen.
“But we also hear stories about the heroic and admirable hospital staff performing under unimaginable pressures.
“Their hard-work and dedication to their duties cannot be faulted.
“I hope the additional £109 million funding allocated to the Department of Health, can help in part to address these issues and alleviate the strain.
“However, funding is only part of the answer, the problem also requires long-term solutions including effective workforce planning, which the department has been chronically lacking long before the breakdown of the Assembly.
“The crisis within our health system requires immediate action before the situation spirals out of control.
“Health workers are the ones we rely on during some of the most difficult times in our lives- they need someone looking out for them too,” added Mr DUrkan.
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