Tipperary TD says patients are waiting up to four months for results of biopsies

Patients across Tipperary are facing huge delays in getting results for biopsies, according to Deputy Michael Lowry.

He has revealed that there is a delay of up to four months for results in north Tipperary, excluding endoscopies. Tests are carried out through University Hospital Limerick in the north end of the county.

In south Tipperary, where tests are carried out by University Hospital Waterford, there is a delay of up to 11 weeks, he said in the Dáil.

“Waiting for results from a biopsy can be a difficult and traumatic time. People want and need to know its outcome as soon as possible. Their diagnosis and future treatment is dependent on these results,” said Deputy Lowry.

In south Tipperary, microbiology and histopathology services are located at University Hospital Waterford where all pathology consultants are based. They provide this service for the Model 3 hospitals in that region.

Deputy Lowry said that University Hospital Waterford had revealed that demand on histology services greatly exceeds capacity.

The average waiting time for non-urgent patient results at Tipperary University Hospital is currently 11 weeks.

“For north Tipperary, patient biopsies are handled at University Hospital Limerick. There is currently a backlog in reporting histology results to hospitals in that group. Results, other than those for endoscopies, take between three to four months.
Deputy Lowry told MInister for Health Stpehen Donnelly that this was an “appalling situation for Tipperary patients”.

“You have people getting an initial diagnosis subject to tests being carried out and then they have to wait for what seems like an eternity for confirmation.

"These unacceptable delays are causing huge distress to patients and families and the matter needs to be addressed urgently,” he said.

Minister Donnelly is to update Deputy Lowry on the issue.

A spokesperson for University Hospital Limerick said that minimising wait times for procedures and diagnostics was a priority for the group, and they hadbeen exploring a range of options to address this, including outsourcing.

"Consequently, we have significantly reduced the three- to four-month backlog in routine biopsies to four to six weeks," they said.

The spokesperson pointed out that for biopsies deemed urgent by the requesting clinician, the current average wait time for a result is five to seven days. For routine endoscopic biopsies, the current average wait time is 10 days.

They explained that the backlogs for routine cases had arisen due to staff challenges at consultant level, and they currently had one vacant consultant histopathology post. However, a locum has been sourced and will commence with UL Hospitals Group in July.

"None of the above is to minimise the inconvenience and anxiety wait times can cause for patients and their loved ones, and we apologise to anyone who has been negatively impacted," said the spokesperson.