Galway Bay fm newsroom - Hospitals in the Saolta University Health Care Group have some of worst waiting lists in the country, as over 143,000 people wait for care.
Figures compiled by the Irish Hospital Consultants Association reveal almost 57 thousand are waiting for an outpatient appointment at the Galway University Hospitals group.
This represents a 65% increase since 2015.
Almost 4,500 are awaiting an outpatient appointment at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe - a 42% increase since 2015.
The ICHA has warned that the chronic shortage of acute hospital bed capacity and consultants across the Saolta Group is resulting in excessively long waits for treatment which is impacting on patient outcomes and will take years to remedy.
It states health service management must make good on promises to provide the extra consultants, extra beds and extra hospital facilities so badly needed or patients will be grappling with waiting lists in the region for the next decade.
Dr. Martin Varley is Secretary General of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association - he says it doesn't seem like enough is being done to address the capacity problems - to hear more, tune in to Galway Bay fm news on the hour
