Northern Ireland health service delivers significant waiting time progress

The Northern Ireland Health Minister has confirmed collective effort has delivered significant reductions in longest waits for patients and a number of named paediatric (children's) procedures.

Patients across Northern Ireland are benefiting from significant reductions in some of the longest waits for diagnosis and treatment following a major Department of Health drive to improve elective care and deliver on Programme for Government (PfG) priorities.

Year-end results for the Elective Care Framework 2025/26 show substantial progress across key waiting list priorities. A total of 385,182 additional assessments, diagnostics and treatments were delivered during the year, benefiting patients across Northern Ireland. This figure excludes validation activity, which has also supported waiting list improvement by ensuring lists are accurate and up to date.

This includes activity for red flag and time-critical patients, backlog clearance for long waiters, and the delivery of primary care elective services.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “From the outset, I have been clear that tackling waiting lists requires a sharper focus across our health service. Too many people have waited too long for assessment and treatment, often in pain or with uncertainty about their future.

“These results demonstrate what can be achieved through determined leadership, sustained investment and a collective effort across Health and Social Care.

“I am determined that we continue to build on this momentum. Challenges remain and demand continues to grow, but we are demonstrating that focused action, regional working and reform can make a real difference for patients.

“I want to thank staff across our hospitals, community services, primary care and regional teams for the commitment they have shown in helping reduce some of our longest waits and improve outcomes for patients.”

The Elective Care Framework 2025/26 year-end position demonstrates major progress in tackling some of Northern Ireland's longest waits.

• Endoscopy waiting lists have reduced by 68% since their peak in June 2022, representing almost 27,000 fewer patients waiting, with a further 38% reduction during 2025/26 alone.
• Long waits for MRI scans reduced by 18.5% during the year
• There has also been substantial progress in reducing the longest waits for surgery and treatment. Projected waits of more than four years for inpatient and day case care reduced by 67%, benefiting more than 13,400 patients, while projected outpatient waits of more than four years reduced by 54%, equivalent to more than 54,600 patients.
• Targeted intervention through a £50 million non-recurrent allocation delivered a 99% reduction in named procedures, helping more than 5,300 patients receive treatment. Long waits for procedures including colonoscopy, paediatric squints, PEG tube insertion, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and tonsillectomy were effectively eliminated.
• Long waits for primary hip and knee procedures reduced by 99%, helping hundreds of patients receive surgery more quickly.
• Alongside hospital-based care, 12,181 interventions were delivered through Primary Care Elective Services, helping improve access to treatment while reducing pressure on hospitals.

Professor Mark Taylor, Regional Clinical Director for Elective Care, said: “While there is still much work to do, these results show that sustained regional collaboration and focused investment are helping more patients access assessment and treatment sooner.”

The results also highlight continued progress in regional productivity and reform. Theatre utilisation reached 86% regionally, while Day Procedure Centres in Omagh and Lagan Valley delivered 97% and 88% of commissioned sessions respectively. Regional endoscopy centres delivered more than 6,000 procedures during the year, contributing to almost 20,000 procedures since October 2022.

The £80 million ringfenced funding recently demonstrates the Executive's continued commitment to sustain the momentum to reduce the longest and most critical waiting times over the next 12 months. Details of the focused activity to be delivered are currently being prioritised and will be announced in due course.

Notes to Editors:

Year End Position 2025 / 26 – Waiting Lists, Elective Care Framework, Programme for Government.

Summary: A total of 385,182 additional assessments, diagnostics and treatments were delivered through Programme for Government funding streams during the year, benefiting patients across Northern Ireland. This figure excludes validation activity, which has also supported waiting list improvement by ensuring lists are accurate and up to date.

This 385,182 figure is a culmination of activity delivered April 2025 – March 2026:

• Red Flag / Time Critical Waiting List Initiative (WLI) - 313,761
• Primary Care Elective (Vasectomy, dermatology, gynae, minor surgery, musculoskeletal) – 12,181
• Backlog Clearance = 59,240 (Named procedures, long waiters (4 plus years) Waiting List Reimbursement Scheme)

1.0        £85m Funding Stream

RF/Time Critical WLI - Activity delivered – 313,761 (April 2025 – March 2026)

Endoscopy            From June 2022 (peak) to March 2026 - 68% reduction (26,986 patients)

                             From March 2025 to March 2026 - 38% reduction (7,873 patients)

CT - Apr 2025 to March 2026*- RF >2weeks (-23%) Planned (+34%) Urgent >4weeks (+5.2%) Routine >9weeks (-23%)

MRI – April 2025 to March 2026         Overall waits reduced by 18.5%

NOUS - April 2025 to March 2026    Overall waits reduced by 14%

*CT unscheduled activity has increased by 15% from 2023/24 to current year, impacting on scheduled care        

2.0        £80m Funding Stream

Primary Care Elective     Activity delivered (April 2025 – March 2026) – 12,181

3.0        £50m non-recurrent allocation

Named Procedures - March 2025 to March 2026 - 99% reduction (5,335 patients)

Noteable Reductions    

Colonoscopy - 100% reduction (645 patients)

Paediatric Squints – 100% reduction (42 patients)

PEG Tube – 100% reduction (69 patients)

Lap Chole – 100% reduction (1,410 patients)^

Tonsillectomy – 100% reduction (470 patients)

 Primary Hip - 99% reduction (428 patients)

 Primary Knee – 99% reduction (971 patients)

Projected 4 Year Plus Outpatients - March 2025 to March 2026 - 54% reduction (54,631 patients)

All Ops Currently Waiting - March 2025 to March 2026 – 2% reduction (9,497 patients)

Projected 4 Year Plus Ipdc - March 2025 to March 2026 - 67% reduction (13,435 patients)

All IPDCs Currently Waiting - March 2025 to March 2026 - 16% reduction (15,550 patients)

Waiting List Reimbursement Scheme - £4.93m committed / 523 approvals / 6 in progress (as of 31/03/2026)

^1 patient remaining following final validation. Shows as 100% due to rounding

4.0        Efficiency and Productivity

Theatre Utilisation - the regional run time for 2025/26 is 86% (target 90%) as at end of March 2026

Omagh DPC Sessions - delivered 97% of commissioned theatre sessions from August 2025 to March 2026

Lagan Valley DPC Sessions - since April 2025, delivered 88% of commissioned theatre sessions

Endoscopy DPC Activity - Activity delivered – 6,034 April 2025 to March 2026; 19,679 since October 2022

Outpatient DNAS – April 2025 to March 2026 - New DNAs (7.6%) Review (8.2%)

Outpatient Validation – April 2025 to March 2026 - OP Admin (55,241) & Clinical Validation (6,900)

IPDC Validations – April 2025 to March 2026 – data unavailable due to ongoing validation

Duplicates – April 2025 to March 2026 - OP (17,129) & IPDC (data unavailable due to ongoing validation) removed following Admin & Clinical Validation