£1bn needed to tackle NI surgical waiting lists: report

BELFAST: Investment of £1 billion over five years is required to boost surgical services and tackle “devastatingly long” waiting lists in Northern Ireland, according to a new report.

The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) has proposed a 10-step action plan to kick-start post-pandemic surgical services.

Northern Ireland has the worst waiting times in the UK and Health Minister Robin Swann has estimated they could take 10 years to tackle.

In its new report, the RCS said: “Multi-year funding is required to close the capacity gap and address the elective care backlog, estimated by Government at £1 billion – £200 million per year for the next five years is required.” The RCS report said that with “planning and resources”, the “devastatingly long” backlog could be dealt with in less than 10 years.

The plan’s 10 recommendations include a call for increased investment, protected surgical beds, expansion of Covid-light sites, surgical training enhancements, and an expansion of the wider surgical workforce, alongside programmes to support staff wellbeing.

The RCS also called on the Northern Ireland government to publish an annual report setting out its response to the waiting times backlog, as well as measures to support patients facing long waits for surgery.

Mark Taylor, Northern Ireland Director for the RCS, said: “Northern Ireland already faced a monumental task on waiting times before the Covid-19 pandemic began.

“The situation has only worsened over the last year, and our health service is in deep crisis, with half of patients waiting more than a year for their treatment. When you add in those patients waiting for their first consultant appointment, one in four people in Northern Ireland is on a waiting list.

“Northern Ireland’s leaders are now faced with a choice. They can either continue to let things spiral out of control, or they can use the easing of Covid-19 pressures as a turning point, an opportunity to do things differently and get our health service, and in particular waiting times, back on track.”

Swann said: “Sustained additional funding is not the answer by itself – but we cannot start fixing waiting lists without it. I look forward to further constructive engagement with the Royal College as we continue to work together on this most pressing of issues. Our appalling waiting lists must now become one of the Executive’s greatest priorities.”