14 September 2007
Northern Ireland's outpatient waiting lists fell by almost 50% and inpatient lists by 10% in a year, according to official statistics published for the 12 months ending in June.
Total numbers waiting for inpatient treatment fell from their peak of 59,000 in 2002 to 36,000 this year. Those awaiting outpatient treatment peaked in 2006 at 181,000, compared with 94,400 in June this year.
Excess waits have been slashed. In March 2005, almost 13,000 patients had been waiting for more than two years for their first outpatient appointment, while in 2002 5,500 people had waited more than two years for inpatient treatment.
By June this year, no patient had waited more than six months for inpatient treatment and only eight for outpatient treatment.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said 'All patients are now having their outpatient assessment or receiving their surgery within a maximum of six months.
'These waiting times are a substantial improvement but still too long; by next year I want to see waiting times measured in weeks not months.'
PFsep2007
