The number of people waiting in Northern Ireland hospitals for surgery on broken bones is running at record levels.

Patients are supposed to receive fracture surgery within 48 hours, but the latest statistics reveal that most have had to wait much longer.

On Wednesday, 70 people were in the queue for an operation.

The length of time prior to surgery is important, particularly for elderly people.

A long wait will often reduce their capacity to make a full recovery.

In 1999, promises were made that services would improve after BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight programme highlighted an "orthopaedic crisis".

Fracture surgery waiting lists have shown little sign of reducing since then.

However, there has been some improvement.

Most people who broke a limb outside Belfast or Londonderry four years ago often had to wait for days in their local hospital before being transferred for an operation.

This has largely stopped, with many being transferred within 24 hours of the break.