National hospital waiting lists increased further in July, with more than 990,870 patients awaiting some form of treatment, according to the latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund.
The total represents an increase of more than 9,500 patients compared with June, or 0.9%.
The largest proportion of patients continue to be those waiting for a first appointment at an outpatient department. More than 683,540 people were waiting for an outpatient appointment at the end of July, up from 673,750 the previous month.
Separately, almost 36,000 patients were suspended from waiting lists at the end of July. This can include patients who are unable or medically unfit to attend, as well as those whose treatment is being progressed through insourcing or outsourcing initiatives.
Meanwhile, new figures from Children's Health Ireland show a reduction in the number of children and young people waiting for spinal surgery.
At the end of July, 199 patients were waiting for spinal surgery, compared with 231 at the same time last year. A further nine children were waiting for spinal surgery at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh in Dublin.
Since the beginning of 2026, 229 new patients have been added to the surgical waiting list, while 279 spinal surgeries have been carried out.
The figures show that more procedures have been completed than new patients added to the list during the first seven months of the year.
Of those still waiting, seven patients have been waiting between 12 and 15 months for their procedure. Two patients have been waiting between 18 and 24 months, while one has been waiting between 24 and 36 months.
There has also been a reduction in the outpatient waiting list for spinal services. At the end of July, 431 patients were waiting for an outpatient appointment, down by more than 22.6% from 557 patients at the same point last year.
CHI Chief Executive Lucy Nugent said the latest figures demonstrate continued progress in reducing waiting times and ensuring children receive the care they need.
She said CHI would continue to make every effort to meet its target of carrying out 540 spinal procedures by the end of the year, while its broader aim remained reducing waiting times for patients.
Dave Moore, Head of the Spinal Surgery Management Unit at CHI, said all patients are prioritised according to a range of clinical factors, including their diagnosis, the severity of their spinal deformity and the presence of other medical conditions.
He added that, since the start of the year, the number of spinal surgeries carried out has exceeded the number of new procedures added to the waiting list.
