On 30 September, the Northern, Southern, and Western Trusts collectively had 238,929 patients awaiting their first appointment. Credit: Wasan Tita/Shutterstock.

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has reported an unprecedented rise in the number of patients waiting to get an appointment with a hospital consultant.

The latest statistics reveal that the figure has reached a record high of 506,612 patients, as of the end of September 2024.

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This marks a significant increase from the 44,149 patients recorded in March 2013, as reported by the Belfast Telegraph.

The implementation of Encompass, Northern Ireland’s new electronic patient record system, has influenced the final statistics, with data for the South Eastern Health and Social Care (HSC) and Belfast HSC Trusts being reported separately.

In June and November 2024, this system went live in the Belfast HSC Trust and the Northern HSC Trust, respectively. It is expected to be launched across the other Trusts in 2025.

On 30 September, the Northern, Southern, and Western Trusts had a combined total of 238,929 patients waiting for an initial consultant appointment.

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A significant 56.8% of these patients are awaiting appointments in ENT, general surgery, gynaecology, dermatology, or neurology specialities.

The data further indicates that over 85%% of patients have been waiting for more than nine weeks, and 52% have been waiting for over a year, which exceeds the Department of Health’s targets.

In the South Eastern Trust, 115,596 patients are currently waiting, 88% of whom have been waiting for a consultation for over nine weeks, and 58% have been waiting for more than one year.

The Belfast Trust reported 152,087 patients on the waiting list as of 30 September, with the highest numbers awaiting general surgery and ENT appointments.

While the Department has classified the figures for the South Eastern and Belfast Trusts as official statistics in development, it advises caution in their interpretation.

It previously told the newspaper that there may be gaps in the data due to the Encompass system’s launch and that these may never be fully rectified.