Hospital waiting lists have grown by almost 22 per cent between 1994 and 1995, according to the Irish Patients Association (IPA). In a statement yesterday the IPA said it was not just a question of "throwing money" at the problem. It was aware of patients who had ended up on antidepressants "arising from the anxiety while waiting for minor but important preventive surgery.
There was also a need to review and analyse the existing statistics on waiting lists. One of its objectives would be to work the backlog down to acceptable levels.