Health Minister has highlighted the important
progress being made at Daisy Hill Hospital in helping reduce
Northern Ireland's waiting lists, noting the hospital's growing
role within the wider transformation of elective care across the
region.
During a visit to the hospital's theatres, Elective Overnight
Stay Centre (EOSC) and paediatric elective ward, the Minister
acknowledged the ongoing work to increase planned surgical
capacity and improve outcomes for patients.
The Health Minister said: “Reducing waiting lists is one of my
central priorities as Health Minister. But this is not just about
speed — it is about transforming how we deliver care, ensuring
patients receive the right treatment in the right place, with
better outcomes and a more consistent experience.
“The Elective Care Framework sets out this vision for reform, and
Daisy Hill is showing how dedicated elective capacity can support
that transformation in practice. Elective Overnight Stay Centres
like this one help provide reliable space for planned procedures,
improving productivity and giving renewed hope to patients who
have been waiting too long.
“I am encouraged by the good work taking place across Northern
Ireland to increase elective capacity and tackle our longest
waits, and Daisy Hill is contributing to that broader progress.”
Since April 2023, almost 11,000 elective surgical procedures have
been completed at the Daisy Hill EOSC across a wide range of
specialties, including breast, urology, gynaecology, dermatology,
ENT, general surgery, paediatric surgery, dental, oral surgery
and endoscopy.
A dedicated paediatric theatre and recovery ward are also
supporting regional efforts to reduce long waits for children.
The Minister further added: “Daisy Hill is making steady progress
in supporting regional elective recovery. This work reflects the
commitment and professionalism of staff across the hospital, and
I want to acknowledge their efforts as part of the wider
transformation taking place across our health service.
“We must continue to build on this momentum. Better outcomes for
patients will remain my focus as Minister, and that requires
sustained investment, collaboration and reform across the whole
system.”
The latest waiting list figures demonstrate clear positive
trends:
•
Around 164,000 red flag and time-critical patients have been
seen, diagnosed or treated
• Waits
over 4 years in Named procedures down 62% (i.e. colonoscopy,
tonsillectomy, hips etc)
•
Over-four-year outpatient waits down 35% (35,319 patients)
•
Over-four-year treatment waits down 47% (9,411 patients)
The Health Minister concluded: “There is still a significant
amount of work to do, but the progress being made — here at Daisy
Hill and across the region — shows that improvement is possible.
We will continue working to deliver faster, safer and more
sustainable care for patients.”
