MUH says it reduced waiting lists in 2024

Mayo University Hospital (MUH) has said it made "significant progress" in reducing waiting lists during 2024.

There were 61,758 outpatient appointments (new and returning) in MUH last year, an increase of 8,690 on the previous year. There was also an increase in referral rates with 16,390 new patients added to the overall waiting list in 2024. Despite these challenges, outpatient wait lists decreased by 13% with a 54% decrease in those waiting more than 15 months.

Mayo University Hospital, however, continued to see high attendances across 2024 with a particular rise in older patients who were admitted for care.

The hospital saw an increase in older people (aged 75 and over) both attending the emergency department and requiring admission to hospital last year. These figures increased by 14% and 13% respectively in 2024. Total attendance at the emergency department last year reached 43,625, a 10% increase on 2023.

However, despite the challenges of increased attendances, particularly in caring for our older population who can have complex care needs, the hospital achieved a 31% reduction in the number of patients waiting on trolleys each day at 8am.

Welcoming the reduction, Hospital Manager Catherine Donohoe added: “Improving the wait times and care experience for our patients remains a priority and we are heartened to see that the initiatives we put in place to ensure patients access care as quickly as possible are bearing fruit.

“We will continue to work with our community colleagues to ensure timely discharge of patients who can continue their care at home or in the community, allowing us to focus on patients’ urgent care needs.” 

Mary Warde, Integrated Healthcare Area Manager for Mayo, commended staff across the hospital for their ongoing work in reducing wait lists and improving the patient journey through the hospital.

“Mayo University Hospital remains incredibly busy, both in terms of those attending for acute care and for our patients awaiting follow up procedures. We continue to focus on providing the best access to care we can and will work hard to capitalise on these improvements. Working closely with community services will allow us to ensure our patients are receiving the best care in the right location.”