A new record of almost 687,000 patients are waiting for treatment in public hospitals, according to the latest complete figures for July.

It represents an increase of nearly 9,500 on the previous month.

These are the complete figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund for July.

The bulk of patients are waiting to be seen by a consultant for the first time at an outpatient clinic.

The breakdown of the national figure is:

- 493,780 patients waiting to be seen by a consultant at outpatients for the first time

- 86,111 patients waiting for an inpatient or a day case procedure in hospital

- 18,660 patients waiting for a gastrointestinal check

- 88,446 patients due to be seen in the next six weeks, or waiting for a scheduled annual check

- giving a total of 686,997 patients waiting nationally.

Galway University Hospital has the biggest inpatient, day case and outpatient waiting lists in the country, with over 50,500 patients waiting, according to the figures.

The Galway breakdown is 38,501 patients waiting to be seen at outpatients, plus 12,065 waiting for an inpatient or day case procedure.

Other hospitals with very long outpatient waiting lists are Waterford University Hospital with 36,367 waiting and the Mater in Dublin with 31,254 waiting.

Nationally, the specialties with the biggest waiting lists for inpatient or day case treatment are ophthalmology, orthopaedics and urology.

The biggest outpatient lists are for Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT), orthopaedics and dermatology.

The Health Service Executive has said a key priority is tackling long patient waiting times and ensuring timely access to treatment and care for patients.

It said 33% of patients are waiting less than three months for an inpatient or day case procedure.

Also 54% of patients are waiting less than six months for an inpatient or day case procedure.

The HSE said the inpatient or day case waiting list action plan is focusing on reducing the number of patients who will be waiting 15 months or more for inpatient/day case treatment by the end of October.

The executive said the latest data from the NTPF shows that this plan is currently ahead of target, with 18,816 patients removed to date.

It said that by the end of July 63,700 patients have also come off the outpatient waiting list under the plan.

A spokesperson for the Minister for Health said Simon Harris has repeatedly emphasised that increasing both physical capacity and staffing capacity are priorities.

A statement said the minister and his department continue to have an "intensive focus" on waiting lists.

Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton has acknowledged that there is "a huge crisis" as regards hospital waiting lists.

Ms Naughton, who was part of the health committee looking at the development of a ten year strategy for the health service, said waiting lists are "a huge focus" for Minister for Health Simon Harris.

She said: "The minister has made moves to set up an implementation office to look at how we are going to plan over the years to deal with the hospital waiting lists, there is certainly a definite need for this, it's a huge crisis I know in UHG and the Hospital Group in the West."

Ms Naughton is hopeful that implementation of the cross-party ten year plan will begin in the coming weeks.