Surgery patient waits seven years

A Northern Ireland patient has been waiting almost seven years for orthopaedic surgery, it has been revealed.

According to latest figures the waiting list is likely to grow.

The details were revealed in a response to a parliamentary question from the Democratic Unionist Party's Strangford MP, Iris Robinson.

The party's health spokesperson said the figures were unacceptable and she was completely shocked by them.

"I am astounded that in 2005 we have waiting lists, such staggering waiting lists, in these two areas," she said.

"The two areas are: (a) those patients waiting to go into surgery, and (b) those patients waiting for their first initial outpatient assessment.

"I will be asking the minister to look at these statistics and tell us what she is going to do to address them."

In January 2003, the number of people waiting in Northern Ireland hospitals for fracture surgery was at record levels.

In 1999, promises were made that services would improve after BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme highlighted an "orthopaedic crisis".

Last month, a patients' watchdog said it was to write to the health minister to express concern about the length of time people have to wait for fracture surgery.

Guidelines stipulate no-one should wait longer than 48 hours, but there is currently an average wait of five days.