The Ulster Unionist Party has revealed that 54%, or 4,250 of the 7,911 of patients who are currently waiting for a spinal assessment, have been waiting longer than a year for their first consultant appointment. A further 2,502 patients have been waiting between 18 weeks and 52 weeks. The information was revealed through an Assembly Question.

Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson, Jo-Anne Dobson MLA, said:

“Back pain can be incredibly debilitating. It is absolutely appalling that so many people are having to wait so long for essential spinal appointments as delays in spinal treatment can directly lead to patients coming to harm as chronicity often increases.

“These figures further illustrate the sheer unprecedented scale of the crisis affecting our local health service.

“The simple reality is that the current capacity in the Musgrave Park Hospital spinal service does not meet the demand for services. Until the Minister and the Executive recognises this, the situation will inevitably worsen.   

“Earlier this year the Ulster Unionist Party revealed that the current waiting time for routine spinal appointments in April was 110 weeks, and shockingly it was rising in 4 weekly increments each month. In reality that meant that some patients may never have been seen as the delays were growing at the same rate as people were waiting.   

“The latest revelation that over half of the total number of patients on the waiting list, have been on it for over a year would suggest that the plight of those people with severe spinal pain has further deteriorated.

“The only support being offered by the local Health Service to people finding themselves trapped on this list is often a bland encouragement to attend their GP for ‘ongoing pain management’. Setting aside the fact that it appears the NHS is now prepared to tolerate pain, rather than treating it, it is ridiculous that patients are being referred to general practice – where there is also an unparalleled crisis in terms of demand.”