Those found to require hip replacements at Musgrave Park Hospital also face a wait of more than three years for their actual operations, according to extraordinary new figures.

The staggering waiting times at the hospital appear to make a mockery of strict Government targets, to be introduced later this month.

SDLP deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell today said the figures "beggared belief", while Tory Northern Ireland spokesman David Lidington described them as "shocking".

They reveal that 1,683 Musgrave Park patients were waiting more than six months for an outpatient assessment for hip replacement surgery in 2005-06.

This was a massive 188% increase on the 583 patients who had been waiting for more than six months for an appointment in 2004-05.

A total of 453 patients had last year been waiting for more than 12 months for an assessment (up by 96% on the previous year) and 212 had been waiting more than 18 months (up 47%).

Twenty-eight patients had been waiting more than 36 months - or three years - for an assessment, down from 60 in 2004-05.

Huge numbers of patients who have been assessed for surgery face long waits for the actual hip replacement operation - although the size of the surgery waiting list is falling.

A total of 1,742 had been waiting more than six months in 2005-06 (down from 2,094 the previous year), 502 had been waiting more than 12 months (down from 935) and 142 more than 18 months (down from 189).

Thirteen had last year been waiting for more than three years - compared to 12 in 2004-05.

The figures suggest that two flagship Government targets will be missed by the hospital.

The first states that by March 31 no patient waits longer than 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment.

The second states that by the same date no patient should wait longer than six months for surgery.

The figures were published following questions in Parliament by South Belfast MP Dr Alasdair McDonnell, himself a GP.

He today said: "It is absolutely outrageous that someone who could be in chronic pain would have to wait over three years for just an assessment appointment with a consultant.

"I know the department will have all sorts of well meaning targets but those really are of little comfort to an elderly person who has severely restricted mobility and a terrible quality of life.

"My inquiries into this matter are far from over and I want to assure those people who are languishing on waiting lists that as far as I'm concerned this simply isn't good enough. We also need to throw some light on how many patients can no longer live with the pain and 'go private'."

Mr Lidington said: "This is shocking news. It shows the extent of complacency and incompetence in Labour's management of the health service.

"Peter Hain has spent a lot more money on the NHS in Northern Ireland but we have seen none of the improvements that people are entitled to expect. "

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "At the start of April 2006, almost 74,000 patients were waiting longer than six months for a first outpatient appointment, and 6,500 were waiting longer than six months for surgery.

"Considerable progress has been made since then and the Department is working closely with boards and trusts to ensure that this progress continues so that by the end of this month, no patient in Northern Ireland is waiting longer than six months for a first outpatient appointment or for the surgery they require. These are very challenging targets and staff across the health service are working very hard to ensure they are achieved."