Health Minister has highlighted how routine
gynaecology treatment in primary care with a GP can help reduce
hospital waiting lists.
Speaking during Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month, the
Minister visited Lisnaskea Primary Care Centre, where he met GPs
delivering elective gynaecology services in the community.
The service provides assessment and treatment for HRT, heavy
menstrual bleeding in women under 45, long-acting reversible
contraception (LARC) and pessary replacement. Suitable patients
can be treated in primary care, avoiding a referral to hospital.
Minister Butler said: My priority is building a health service
around people and communities.
We are making progress and I want to build on that momentum. The
Elective Care Framework is about tackling the backlog now while
changing how we provide care for the future.
Women should not be waiting for a hospital appointment when they
can be safely assessed and treated closer to home. This is reform
in practice - getting patients to the right care sooner and
freeing hospital capacity for those who need specialist
treatment.
The Minister also highlighted Gynaecological Cancer Awareness
Month as an important opportunity to encourage women to be aware
of changes in their health and seek medical advice if they have
concerns.
Established in 2018, Primary Care Elective Services use a
host-practice model, with local practices referring suitable
patients to GPs with enhanced skills.
There are currently 19 practices delivering the service, with
around 6,000 gynaecology patients assessed and 3,000 procedures
undertaken each year. Other pathways include dermatology, minor
surgery and non-scalpel vasectomy.
The Department confirmed £2.9million recurrent funding for
Primary Care Elective Services in 2025/26.
This activity is also helping address existing hospital waiting
lists. Around 650 patients have transferred from South Eastern,
Western and Southern Trust services, with work under way to
validate and transfer a further 750 patients across gynaecology
primary care elective service providers.
Professor , Department of Health, Regional
Clinical Director for Elective Care said: We have shown that
waiting lists can come down, but we now need to go further and
faster.
That means tackling the backlog while changing the pathways that
created it. Gynaecology is an important focus. Treating suitable
patients in primary care avoids unnecessary hospital referrals,
releases specialist capacity and helps women access care sooner.
This is the clinically led reform we need to deliver the
Programme for Government commitment to reduce waiting times.
Work is continuing to increase the capacity and reach of Primary
Care Elective Services across Northern Ireland.
During the Minister's visit to County Fermanagh, he visited the
South West Acute Hospital (SWAH) to hear more about the Western
Trust's programme of work to develop a vision for Future Health
and Care Services in Fermanagh and West Tyrone. The Minister
welcomed that the Trust are extending the formal engagement phase
to the end of October to allow time for more input [westerntrust.hscni.net/about-the-trust/fwt-future-health-and-care-services].
He then visited The Human Milk Bank Service [https://westerntrust.hscni.net/service/human-milk-bank/].
Minister Butler also spent time engaging with the South West GP
Federation and Western Federation Support Unit (FSU), hearing
directly about the delivery of General Practice in the area, and
discussed the opportunities and challenges facing General
Practice and wider primary care.
