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Patients are waiting more than six years for Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) and Urology surgery in Northern Ireland, according to just-released statistics.

Among the various specialities, these are the longest waits with ENT patients waiting 346 weeks, or six-and-a-half years, and Urology, 320 weeks [more than six years].

The Director of the Royal College of Surgeons in Northern Ireland, Mr Niall McGonigle, said the figures again emphasise the "scale of the task" facing health service staff.

He said they were "working tirelessly" to get patients seen.

"It is vital that the Northern Ireland Executive sets out a recurrent and protected budget to increase capacity and tackle waiting lists," he said.

"This includes opening more hospital beds for surgical patients, expanding surgical hubs, and supporting health service staff who are under huge pressure."

Meanwhile, waiting lists for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant have increased by 4.2% since the last quarter.

Some 356,229 people are waiting for a first consultant appointment with 164,476 waiting for a diagnostic test - an increase of 7.3% when compared to the past quarter.

These figures do not include statistics from the South Eastern Health Trust due to the new digital record system Encompass continuing to bed in.

The Royal College of Surgeons said they welcomed the new health minister, Mike Nesbitt, and offered to support him as he starts the challenge of ensuring Northern Ireland's health service meets the needs of its patients now and in the future.