Almost 14,000 patients are on waiting lists for Galway University hospitals.
Figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund, reveal that 13,205 adults and 678 children were awaiting treatment as of the 30th of April this year.
This number has increased by over 1500 from April of last year. However, how long people are waiting is considered a much better metric than how many are waiting.
And in this regard, Galway University Hospitals have some of the worst metrics in the country.
HSE targets are 10 weeks for an outpatient appointment and 12 weeks for an inpatient or day case procedure.
Figures for April show Over 6,900 are waiting less than six months; 2,585 are waiting up to a year; almost 1,500 are waiting up to 18 months; and a further 2,173 are waiting longer than that.
These are some of the longest wait times in the country - for example, patients waiting more than 18 months at Galway University Hospitals account for 23 percent of the national total.
Meanwhile, there are 511 on waiting lists at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe, which is somewhat more aligned towards HSE targets.
The vast majority there are waiting less than six months - with 70 patients waiting up to a year; 22 up to 18 months, and just 4 waiting beyond that.
