O’Shea Calls on HSE South West for Clear Plan and Timelines to Tackle Outpatient Orthopaedic Waiting List in Cork

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Deputy John Paul O’Shea, has called on the HSE South West to put a clear, focused plan in place to tackle the 7,444 patients currently waiting for an outpatient orthopaedic appointment at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH).

Deputy O’Shea said he welcomed the range of measures outlined by the HSE South West to increase capacity and target those who have been waiting longest, but said patients now need to see action on the ground and clear timelines for when the service will improve.

“The most recent figures provided to me show that 7,444 patients are waiting for an outpatient orthopaedic appointment at SIVUH. That is an enormous number of people who are waiting to be assessed by a specialist, many of whom are living with significant pain and reduced mobility.

“I welcome the fact that the HSE South West has outlined a number of measures to address the issue, including additional weekend and evening clinics, physiotherapy-led musculoskeletal clinics, NTPF outsourcing and additional theatre capacity.

“I also welcome the fact that additional theatre capacity is due to become operational at SIVUH from today, and that the Cork Surgical Hub is expected to become operational by the end of this month, with orthopaedics among the specialties to benefit.

“These are positive steps, but what I want to see now is action, implementation and timelines. We cannot simply continue to explore options while thousands of people remain on a waiting list.”

Deputy O’Shea said he had been raising concerns about orthopaedic waiting times directly with hospital management and had been told previously that options were being explored to increase capacity and reduce waiting times.

“I have been raising this issue directly with hospital management for some time. I acknowledge the work that is now being outlined, but patients cannot wait indefinitely while solutions are being explored.

“Almost 12 months ago, I was being told that options were being examined to increase capacity. I now want to see those options translated into a clear plan with measurable outcomes.

“We need to know what impact these additional clinics, theatre capacity, NTPF activity and the Cork Surgical Hub will have on the waiting list.

“We need to know what the target is for reducing the backlog, how progress will be measured and, critically, when patients can expect to see an improvement.”

Deputy O’Shea said the impact of lengthy orthopaedic waiting times could not be viewed simply as a statistic.

“I have been contacted by constituents waiting for hip and knee assessments and by people whose mobility, ability to work and quality of life are being affected while they wait.

“I have also been contacted about patients who have been categorised as urgent but who still cannot get an indicative date for when they will be seen.

“One case I have raised involves a young man, whom I will call John to protect his privacy, who has been on the urgent outpatient waiting list for an orthopaedic consultant since February 2025.

“He has been waiting for well over a year without even getting a date for his appointment. His pain has become so severe that he was referred to a pain management consultant in May of this year, but he is now waiting for that appointment as well.

“This is the reality behind the waiting-list figures. These are people who are in pain and whose lives are being put on hold.”

Deputy O’Shea stressed that the issue was not a criticism of the staff working at SIVUH.

“I want to be very clear that this is not a criticism of the doctors, nurses, consultants or other staff working at the South Infirmary. They are doing extremely important work under significant pressure.

“The issue is capacity. Demand for orthopaedic services has increased, and we need to ensure that capacity keeps pace with that demand.

“The measures now being put in place are welcome, but we need to see them delivering results.”

Deputy O’Shea is calling on the HSE South West to publish a specific action plan for orthopaedic services, including clear targets for reducing the waiting list and timelines for delivering additional capacity.

“The HSE South West has outlined a number of initiatives. I welcome them, but I now want to see a plan that sets out exactly what happens next.

“What will the waiting list look like in three months? Six months? Twelve months? How many additional patients will be seen through the weekend and evening clinics? What impact will the additional theatre capacity have? What will the Cork Surgical Hub deliver for orthopaedic patients?

“Patients deserve answers to these questions.

“7,444 people waiting for an orthopaedic outpatient appointment cannot become the new normal in Cork.

“I am calling on the HSE South West to put a clear plan in place, with measurable targets and timelines, and to report on progress in reducing this backlog.

“The people of Cork deserve timely access to specialist care. We now need to move from assurances and plans to delivery and results.

“Behind every number on that waiting list is a person. For people like John, who have already been waiting since February 2025, they simply cannot afford to wait any longer.”