Colonoscopies at SGH-3rd longest wait in Ireland

Sligo General Hospital has one of the highest numbers of people waiting up to three months for Colonoscopy procedures.

Outrage was expressed today about the length of time some patients have to wait for the procedure used to diagnose bowel cancer.

The Minister Health Mary Harney announced recently that targets were in place in order to facilitate urgent access to colonoscopy procedures.

The department of health stated that patients would not have to wait longer than four weeks to avail of the procedure used to diagnose bowel cancer.

However statistics reveal that there is over 900 people nationwide waiting up to two years for a colonoscopy.

Sligo General hospital has emerged as the third worst hospital in the Country in relation to waiting times for the treatment.

According to HSE statistics there are 60 people waiting upto 3 months in the Sligo hospital.

Only St James and St Vincents hospitals in Dublin have longer waiting times with the national figure standing at 640 people waiting upto 3 months for colonoscopies.

However there is no one in Sligo General waiting longer than 3 months according to the Statistics while in Letterkenny General there are no waiting lists for the procedure.