The number of patients waiting for hospital treatment dropped slightly between August and September of this year, according to latest figures.

However, the numbers waiting over nine months for a hospital procedure have increased ten-fold compared to September 2012, and outpatient waiting lists are growing.

Latest figures from the Department of Health show the total number of people on treatment waiting lists at the end of September was 49,496, compared to 49,695 in August and 41,732 in September 2012.

Little progress has been made in tackling the huge increase in long waiters that has built up this year.

The figures show that 4,473 patients were waiting over nine months for procedures at the end of September , compared to 4,729 the previous month. However, only 433 patients were waiting over nine months for treatment in September 2012.

These figures exclude the numbers waiting for gastroscopies and colonoscopies. The number of patients waiting for these tests increased from 8,954 to 9,387 between August and September. The numbers waiting over three months for these tests has nearly doubled in a year.

Most patients needing urgent colonoscopies are usually tested withing 28 days, according to the HSE.

A total of 386,384 people were on hospital outpatient lists at the end of September, compared to 374,105 at the end of August.

The Department of Health says there has been an 18% reduction since March in the numbers waiting over a year for an outpatient appointment. However, the numbers coming on to outpatient lists and waiting between zero and six months have increased.

Nearly 2,000 patients are waiting over four years for an outpatient appointment, according to the latest figures, while 5,881 have been waiting between three and four years for an outpatient consultation.