Over 500 patients waiting to see cardio consultant at Mayo hospital

Up to 506 patients are on a waiting list for an appointment with a cardio consultant at Mayo University Hospital (MUH).

The revelation was made at a meeting of the HSE West Forum in Galway yesterday.

A total 32 of these patients have been waiting for over 12 months.

The matter was raised by Councillor Michael Kilcoyne, the vice-chair of the forum.

He stated: "If you have to wait that long to see a consultant then there is something drastically wrong with the system.

“They tell you that the first few hours are most precious if you have a heart attack.

"Yet they expect people to wait for over a year to see a consultant to have investigations. It means it is not being given the priority that it should be,

"I just wonder how many of them are still alive if they are waiting for that long.”

In response, Ann Cosgrove, health area manager, said cardiology patients on the referral waiting list in question would be ‘non-urgent’ cases.

"Two cardiologists were appointed to Mayo University Hospital in the last year, only one clinician was operating in Castlebar before then.

"I advise any patient who might be concerned about their condition is to ask their GP to make further contact with the consultant,

“If somebody has concerns or if their condition has deteriorated in any way, your first port of call would be your GP,” she added.