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Sat 09 Sep 2005Quarter of patients wait over a yearA quarter of the patients waiting for surgery at six Dublin hospitals have been waiting for more than a year for their operations, according to new figures.The figures, published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) yesterday, show there are 4,913 patients "actively" waiting for surgery at Tallaght, Beaumont, the Mater, St James's, St Vincent's and Blanchardstown hospitals. Some 1,207 of them have been waiting for more than 12 months.