Inverclyde Royal patient waits more than three years for op

Data released under Freedom of Information by the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board to local MSP Paul O'Kane, show the unnamed person has been on the waiting list for a staggering 1,180 days for an orthopedic procedure.

Another unnamed patient has been on the waiting list at the same hospital for a gynaecology treatment for 505 days - the equivalent of almost 18 months.

Mr O'Kane described the figures as "staggering" and claimed that Inverclyde patients are being left to suffer in silence while they wait for their operations.

READ MORE: Health chiefs slammed over care to 'malnourished' Greenock mum at IRH

The former Scottish Labour health spokesperson, who represents West Scotland, said: "Patients are being offered nothing but uncertainty as they wait in pain.

“Unless the Scottish Government comes forward with a serious workforce plan and a robust strategy to tackle waiting lists, this crisis will continue.

"They must also listen to the hardworking doctors and nurses who are bearing the brunt of this crisis."

No further details were given to Mr O'Kane by the health board about the operations, with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde citing patient confidentiality.

(Image: George Munro) Last month the Tele revealed how Inverclyde Royal Hospital's A&E department have seen a dramatic rise in patient waiting times in the last five years.

Information released by government body Public Health Scotland show the numbers waiting more than four hours for medical attention have almost doubled since 2019 with some having to wait longer than 12 hours before they are seen.

Out of 33,562 who attended A&E at Inverclyde Royal Hospital (IRH) in 2019, 3,603 waited more than four hours, 223 more than eight and four more than 12.

READ MORE: Whistleblower claims IRH patients are 'being neglected' because of staff shortages

However last year 6,270 out of 29,181 casualty patients had a delay of more than four hours, 1,051 waited more than eight, and 326 more than 12.

Figures up to August this year show 5,521 out of 20,471 who attended A&E at the IRH waited more than four hours - almost 30 per cent.

Meanwhile, 912 waited more than eight hours to see someone, and 206 more than 12.

At the time the hospital was defended by veteran local councillor Robert Moran who is a non executive director of Greater Glasgow and Clyde and chairs the integrated joint board (IJB) which oversees Inverclyde's health and social care partnership.

He said his 92-year-old mother was seen in two hours after she was referred by her GP with kidney problems.

He also pointed to separate figures from Public Health Scotland which showed that delayed discharges in Inverclyde have been reduced by almost 70 percent in the last year.

The number of bed days lost dropped from a record high of 808 in July, 2023, to 257 in June.

READ MORE: Fury as IRH canteen staff are banned from fund-raising for local charities

Figures released last week for September show the figure had further fallen to 252 days.

Health secretary Neil Gray said: “While unusually long waiting times are often the result of personal or medical reasons, we are working intensively with NHS boards to reduce the length of time people are waiting for appointments and treatment.

“Services continue to face sustained pressure, and this is not unique to Scotland - with similar challenges being felt right across the UK. We are also working to address delayed discharge in hospitals with an increased focus on effective discharge planning.

“This year’s Scottish budget provides more than £19.5 billion for health and social care and an extra £500 million for frontline boards.

"We have allocated £30 million to boards this year to tackle waiting lists which is expected to deliver 12,000 new outpatient appointments, around 12,000 inpatient procedures and over 40,000 diagnostic procedures.”

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesperson said: "As is the case throughout the country, the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on our ability to deliver planned care. 

READ MORE: Councillor defends IRH casualty figures - but says A&E 'is a door too many are using'

"We have been working since then to recover and to prioritise those with the most urgent need, and those who have been waiting the longest. 

"We apologise to anyone who has had to wait longer than they may have expected. 

"We would like to thank our staff as they continue to work extremely hard to address these challenges and for all they are doing to look after the needs of people in Inverclyde."