SDLP Health Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has branded the spiralling waiting lists across the North as ‘utter madness’.
The Department of Health’s quarterly report for 30th September 2019, reported a staggering 300,000 patients waiting for a consultant led appointment.
That is an 8 per cent increase on last year.
The North of Ireland waiting lists are expected to hit an all-time high by the end of November.
The region now holds the worst waiting time statistics in the UK.
Said the Foyle MLA: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, political inaction now is the wilful negligence of our most treasured public service.
“This is the starkest evidence we have seen – and we more evidence every day – of the drastic and urgent need for the transformation of our healthcare system.
“These figures are truly staggering and even then I do not believe that they reveal the true extent of how bad the situation actually is; how long patients really have to wait or how that wait impacts on their lives.
“In recent weeks we’ve been told by experts that a whopping £1billion bailout is needed to tackle waiting lists alone.
“Hospitals have been forced to cancel elective surgeries due to staff shortages – so not only are patients forced to wait up to 4 years for an initial appointment, they have no guarantee of actually accessing that healthcare.
“The Royal College of Surgeons have highlighted that 1 in 5 cancer patients are receiving diagnosis in an emergency department.
“How is this allowed to happen? People’s loved ones receiving treatment and in some cases life shattering news in busy hospital corridors. This complete lack of privacy, stripping people from their dignity and respect.
“It is no wonder that our health staff have taken to the picket lines.
“Aside from the appalling lack of pay parity, they witness first-hand the every-day decimation of our health system, the unfolding public safety risk and inability to provide a high standard of care under diminishing resources.”
He continued: “This is an extremely distressing experience for both health staff and patients.
“The failure to protect them at this critical juncture is the epitome of selfishness- forfeiting health and well-being for bull-headed politics.
“Granted the restoration of an Executive is not a panacea but it’s better than standing idly by with hands in pockets watching the health service collapse into chaos.
“Parts of our health service have already crumbled before our eyes; these increasingly deteriorating waiting lists report are testament to that.
“It demands action not feigned outrage and apathetic head-shaking at what has become a quarterly expectation. Inaction at this point is nothing short of unmitigated culpability.”
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