There are currently over 22,000 patients on waiting lists at Letterkenny University Hospital.
The HSE confirmed also that there are 127 staff vacancies at the hospital with recruitment planned to refill all posts.
In response to a question put forward by Councillor Ciaran Brogan at the latest sitting of the Regional Health Forum West, Saolta University Health Care Group, COO, Ann Cosgrove, acknowledged that Letterkenny University Hospital is facing a number of challenges in relation to waiting lists, bed capacity, increased numbers of people attending the ED and staff recruitment which she says is being exacerbated by the number of people in hospital with Covid-19.
According to figures up to November 11th, 5,401 patients were awaiting an inpatient or day case procedure. Almost half of those patients have been waiting a year or more.
In addition, the number of people waiting on an outpatient appointment is 16,723 of whom 7,781 have been waiting over 12 months.
A number of steps are being taken in a bid to address the increasing waiting lists at the hospital including; carrying out additional endoscopies, availing of private hospitals and an overseas nursing recruitment campaign due to commence early next year.
