The BBC reports that…
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has warned that Northern Ireland patients are waiting too long for surgery.
The latest hospital waiting list figures show 55.3% of patients were waiting longer than 13 weeks to be admitted for inpatient or day case treatment.
Meanwhile, 12% of patients waited more than 52 weeks.
And…
…latest Department of Health statistics reveal more people are having to wait longer on a hospital outpatient appointment in Northern Ireland.
At the end of December, a total of 246,198 patients were waiting – that is 3,057 more people than who were on the same list at the end of September 2016.
About 72.4% of patients were waiting more than nine weeks.
Government targets state that at least 50% of patients should not have to wait any longer than the recommended nine week target.
The number of people having to wait more than a year for an outpatient appointment has also jumped – in three months that figure has increased by about 7,000.
With no additional funding, a budget, or an executive in place, the jump comes as no surprise.
Not really sure why the Opposition haven’t made more of Health as a real issue arising from the breakdown.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty