Mattie McGrath: 20-Week Biopsy Waits at University Hospital Waterford
Mattie McGrath raised concerns about long histology testing backlogs at University Hospital Waterford, reporting waits of approximately 20 weeks for non-urgent histology cases. He called for more laboratory resources and faster biopsy analysis, warning that delays are especially harmful in complex cancer cases.
Backlog and waiting times
McGrath said the current waiting time is approximately 20 weeks for non-urgent histology cases at University Hospital Waterford. He described constituents who are waiting 20 weeks after biopsy and said the delay is a serious worry for patients.
Hospital explanation and workload
He said the HSE and University Hospital Waterford told him demand on histology services far exceeds capacity, and that the hospital reported an ever-increasing workload with rises in complex cancer cases.
Calls for resources and cancer urgency
McGrath urged additional resources in the hospital laboratory to reduce waiting times and speed diagnosis, noting that time is of the essence in cancer cases.
Minister for Health response and next steps
The Minister for Health said he would revert to the department and the HSE immediately, described the timelines as too long and said he will look into capacity constraints with a view to addressing them and speak to the HSE.
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I want to raise with you today the very serious backlogs for testing of routine samples at University Hospital Waterford. At present, the current waiting time is approximately 20 weeks for non-urgent histology cases. When I raise this matter with the Minister for Health and with the HSE, their response is that demand on histology services at UHW far exceeds their capacity. UHW also claimed that they have an ever-increasing workload with rises in complex cancer cases. So we need to get more resources in there. I have a number of constituents who are waiting 20 weeks at the waiting list. It's a serious worry on people when they have had a biopsy and have to wait 20 weeks for their biopsy to be analysed. It's too long. And they need more resources in the hospital laboratory to deal with this and to take people out of there, get a good diagnosis or whatever they get, hopefully good, sometimes it's not so good, but time is of the essence in these cancer cases especially. Minister. I'll revert to the department of the HSE immediately on that. The timelines you're talking about are too long. Patients need and their doctors need rapid responses in terms of biopsies. So I will look into what capacity constraints there might be at the moment with a view to addressing them. I hope to talk to them. Thank you. Thank you.
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