The number of patients on treatment waiting lists in public hospitals is continuing to fall, according to latest figures.

However, the total number of patients waiting over nine months for treatment at the end of November last was still three times higher than in November 2012, the figures show.

The statistics from the Department of Health show that the upward spiral in waiting lists that occurred in late 2012 and up to the summer of 2013 has recently been reversed.

However, Health Minister James Reilly's target of having no-one waiting over eight months for a procedure by the end of 2013 will require at least 2,265 patients to be treated and taken off waiting lists in December, as this was the November figure waiting over nine months for treatment.

The statistics show that 47,654 patients in total were on treatment waiting lists at the end of November, compared to 49,325 in October. A total of 2,265 patients were waiting over nine months for care at the end of November, compared to 3.547 the previous month.

Among the patients waiting over nine months in November, 797 were waiting over a year for a procedure, compared to 847 the previous month. The numbers waiting over nine months peaked at 4,729 in August.

According to a report from the Department of Health, there was a 49% reduction in the total number of patients waiting over eight months for treatment between July and November last year.

However, while 817 patients were waiting over nine months for treatment in November 2012, this had nearly trebled to over 2,200 a year later.

Latest figures also show that the total numbers on outpatient lists fell from 378,840 to 357,624 between October and November last year.

However, there were still 56,270 patients waiting over a year for an outpatient appointment last November.

The Department of Health and the HSE had been working towards having no-one waiting more than a year for an outpatient visit by the end of 2013.

According to the Department, 15 hospitals are unlikely to meet this target by the end of 2013.