Health Minister has commended staff at the Day
of Surgery Unit at Belfast City Hospital following the unit's
recent October 2025 Elective Care Recognition Award.
The award, presented by the Elective Care Management Team (ECMT),
recognises good innovation, improved practice and excellent
patient-centred care across the Health and Social Care system.
Minister Nesbitt visited the Day of Surgery Unit to thank staff
in person, to see the service in action and to hear about best
practice initiatives supporting elective care delivery and
progress on waiting lists within Belfast Health and Social Care
Trust.
During the visit, the Minister met staff and patients, observed
the patient pathway from admission through to theatre, and
discussed innovative approaches being used to improve
communication, patient flow and experience.
Speaking during the visit, Health Minister said: “I am delighted
to visit the Day of Surgery Unit at Belfast City Hospital and to
personally thank staff for their exceptional work.
“The compassionate, patient-centred care provided by this
team is evident. Staff work collaboratively, go above and beyond
to reduce pre-operative delays and waiting times, and
consistently uphold high professional standards. The excellent
patient feedback for the unit is a testament to the quality of
care being delivered.
“The outcomes achieved here including faster access to
surgery, increased capacity and more efficient use of hospital
beds are to be warmly commended.”
The Belfast City Hospital Day of Surgery Unit supports a wide
range of surgical specialties and enables patients to be admitted
on the day of their procedure, reducing length of stay and
improving the overall patient experience. Over the past three
years, the unit has steadily increased activity, admitting more
than 4,000 patients annually and helping to free up inpatient
beds for higher-acuity care.
Minister Nesbitt added: “Reducing waiting lists remains one of my
central priorities as Health Minister. We are seeing very real
progress across Northern Ireland, with targeted efforts helping
to reduce some of our longest waits and bring more patients the
care they need more quickly. Through the Elective Care Framework
and our Reset Plan for waiting lists, we are treating significant
numbers of time-critical patients and reducing the longest
waiting times, while also increasing planned surgical capacity
across the system.
“This work reflects the commitment and professionalism of
staff across the health service, and units like this one show
what can be achieved when great teams are supported to innovate
and deliver for patients.
“There is still much work to do, but the progress being
made at Belfast City Hospital and across the region shows that
improvement is possible. We will continue to build on this
momentum to deliver faster, safer and more sustainable care for
all.”
Jennifer Welsh, Chief Executive of Belfast Health and Social Care
Trust, said: “The Day of Surgery Unit is an excellent example of
best practice in elective surgery delivery. Under the leadership
of Sister Rachel Canning, the team shows how strong clinical
leadership and teamwork can drive high standards of care across
multiple surgical specialties.”
The Elective Care Recognition Award highlights examples of best
practice and aims to encourage continued improvement in the
delivery of elective care.
