The current number of patients waiting for an initial assessment and for treatment at the Pain Clinic in Sligo University Hospital, including the average and longest waiting times for each stage of the pathway was provided at the regional health forum on Tuesday 23 of this week.
Figures provided to the health forum show that 227 people on the Pain Service waiting list at Sligo University Hospital have been waiting up to three months and have not yet received an appointment date as of 17 June.
The table outlined how the number of patients in the pain clinic who have obtained an appointment is very low compared to those who are still waiting for an appointment date. 21 patients who were waiting on a list for up to two – three years have now been allocated an appointment.
Over 160 patients are currently waiting up to six-nine months on the list and have not been allocated an appointment yet.
This information was requested by Fianna Fáil councillor Edel McSharry, who is now the Leas Cathaoirleach for the regional health forum following a nomination process.
Mr John Fitzmaurice, integrated health area manager for Sligo responded to her query with a table which outlined the Outpatient wait times for the Pain Service at Sligo University Hospital as of the 17th June 2026.
His response detailed how the “20 patients waiting longest have been scheduled for appointments in the coming weeks. Additional weekend clinics are taking place to help support timely access to the service. This initiative clinic commenced with the first clinic on 14th June with two further clinics in July being planned for. This will result in an additional 30-40 long waiters being seen. This will reduce the waiting list from up to 36 months to under 15 months. This will then be reviewed and we anticipate rolling out weekend clinics on a regular basis with NTPF funding currently available,” he said.
Edel McSharry responded to this, as she said “when people are in pain they need to be seen pretty quickly – not over a few months.”
She expressed her dismay at the figures presented, as she cited the figure of over 200 people waiting up to 3 months.
She suggested that there be evening clinics organised as well as the additional weekend clinics, to which Mr Fitzmaurice promised to explore this potential and take this idea under consideration.
