The Health Service Executive says it will be prioritising the issue of out-patient waiting lists in the coming year.
It says it intends to set definite targets for outpatient waiting times and will incentivise performance by hospitals in this area to reduce the length of time some patients have to wait for appointments.
The HSE also says it will further utilise the National Treatment Purchase Fund with a view to considerably shortening the time some patients wait for outpatient appointments.
