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Health board chief apologies over 75% rise in hospital waiting list Hospital waiting times 'likely to get worse', health board chief says
(34 minutes later)
The head of the Health and Social Care Board has apologised to patients who have waited an "inordinate amount of time" for surgery. The head of the Health and Social Care Board has said that patient waiting times for surgery are "likely to get worse" in the coming year.
The BBC revealed on Wednesday that the number of patients waiting for appointments at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast had risen by 75%. BBC News NI revealed on Wednesday that the number of patients waiting for appointments at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast had risen by 75%.
Back surgery patients take 74 weeks to see a specialist, while those needing hip surgery face a 59-week delay. Some patients have had to wait up to 74 weeks to see a specialist.
Valerie Watts said the board would do "everything we can" to reduce waits. Valerie Watts apologised to patients who have waited an "inordinate amount of time" for surgery.
"It is both regrettable and it was also disturbing for me to hear about those [waiting times]," she said."It is both regrettable and it was also disturbing for me to hear about those [waiting times]," she said.
"I am not proud to hear some of these stories, as CEO presiding over the Health and Social Care Board, to hear about these waiting times.""I am not proud to hear some of these stories, as CEO presiding over the Health and Social Care Board, to hear about these waiting times."
But she said waiting times were likely to get worse "because of the budget".
"We must understand that we have a finite budget within which we are working with this year," she said.
"We are predicting that those waiting times will stretch out - some of them will be significantly [worse]."
Documents leaked to the BBC also showed that up to this month, there had been 11,846 breaches of the 18-week waiting list target for a specialist appointment.Documents leaked to the BBC also showed that up to this month, there had been 11,846 breaches of the 18-week waiting list target for a specialist appointment.
Ms Watts blamed the growth in waiting lists on "unprecedented period of demand" for health and social care services in Northern Ireland.Ms Watts blamed the growth in waiting lists on "unprecedented period of demand" for health and social care services in Northern Ireland.