O’Shea Demands Urgent Action as 7,444 Patients Wait for Orthopaedic Appointment at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in Cork

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea has expressed deep concern and frustration at the scale of outpatient waiting lists for orthopaedic services in Cork, revealing that 7,444 patients are currently waiting for an outpatient appointment at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH).

Deputy O’Shea described the figures, provided in a recent reply to this issue which was raised in the Dáil this week, as “deeply alarming” and said they represent thousands of people living in pain, uncertainty and reduced mobility while waiting simply to be assessed by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon.

“Behind every one of these 7,444 cases is a person — a parent who cannot lift their child because of a shoulder injury, a farmer struggling through each day with a deteriorating hip, an older person losing independence while waiting to begin the pathway to treatment,” Deputy O’Shea said.

“These are not minor ailments. Orthopaedic conditions directly affect mobility, mental health, independence and the ability to work. Delays at outpatient stage mean delayed diagnosis, delayed treatment and often more complex interventions later.”

Investment Must Translate Into Access

While acknowledging significant investment in Cork hospitals in recent years — including a 56% budget increase at the South Infirmary between 2020 and 2025 and a 29% rise in staffing levels — Deputy O’Shea said the scale of the outpatient waiting list clearly demonstrates that demand is far outstripping capacity.

“The consultants, nurses and frontline staff at SIVUH are working tirelessly. They are not the issue. The issue is capacity,” he said.

“We have an ageing population. We have more people participating in sport. We have more people living longer with degenerative conditions. Demand has grown rapidly — but orthopaedic outpatient capacity has not kept pace.”

Call for Focused Orthopaedic Recovery Plan

Deputy O’Shea is calling on the HSE to urgently develop and publish a focused orthopaedic recovery plan for SIVUH, backed by additional funding and workforce supports.

He is seeking:

• Approval and recruitment of additional consultant orthopaedic posts

• Expanded outpatient clinic capacity

• Protected theatre time to prevent surgical delays once patients are assessed

• Enhanced diagnostic supports, including MRI and radiology capacity

• Clear reduction targets for outpatient waiting lists

“I do not see a specific orthopaedic plan for the South Infirmary — and that worries me,” he said.

“We cannot allow orthopaedic patients in Cork to drift further down waiting lists year after year.”

Surgical Hub and NTPF Not Enough on Their Own

Deputy O’Shea welcomed progress on the new surgical hub at CUH, due to open in Q3 2026, which is expected to deliver thousands of additional procedures and outpatient appointments annually. However, he stressed that this must not distract from the immediate crisis facing orthopaedic outpatients at SIVUH.

He also noted that the HSE confirmed that the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) has approved outpatient initiatives to treat 1,470 orthopaedic patients in Cork in 2026.

“While the NTPF is an important bridging measure and I welcome its use to address long waiters, it cannot become the default solution,” Deputy O’Shea said.

“We must build sustainable public capacity within SIVUH itself. Patients should not have to rely on outsourcing or consider private options because the public system cannot see them within a reasonable timeframe.”

“Pain Should Not Be Prolonged by Process”

Deputy O’Shea concluded by calling for urgent ministerial engagement with the HSE to prioritise orthopaedic services in Cork.

“Pain should not be prolonged by process. Mobility should not be sacrificed to bureaucracy. And no patient should feel forgotten while waiting for care.

“The people of Cork deserve timely access to orthopaedic assessment and treatment. The scale of the waiting list at the South Infirmary demands immediate, targeted action — and I will continue to press this issue until we see meaningful progress.”