Health Minister Robin Swann: NI patients could be sent to GB to help clear ‘appalling’ waiting lists

The minister made the announcement after the latest waiting time statistics showed an 8.3% rise in the number of people waiting for their first appointment with a consultant in Northern Ireland.

There were 305,017 people on the waiting list at the turn of the new year, compared to 281,751 on December 31 2018.

Mr Swann said: “Behind the statistics are many thousands of our citizens facing unending pain and worry. Northern Ireland’s hospital waiting times are quite simply appalling. We can and must put this right.”

The minister suggested patients could be sent for treatment at private clinics in both the Republic of Ireland and in Great Britain to help clear the treatment backlog.

This already happens in some cases but the News Letter understands health officials are exploring the possibility of an increase in the scale of travel.

The News Letter also understands that clinicians from Great Britain could be brought to Northern Ireland.

“It is well documented that our health service currently does not have the capacity to meet current demand, let alone tackle the waiting list backlog,” Mr Swann said.

“Meeting the New Decade, New Approach commitment will therefore require use of capacity in the independent sector.”

He added: “Our options will include the use of providers from Great Britain – both NHS and independent sector – as well as in the Irish Republic.”

The former UUP leader said extra money will be required to tackle the waiting lists.

“The starting point is spelt out in New Decade New Approach – that no one waiting over a year at September 30 2019 for outpatient or inpatient assessment or treatment will still be on a waiting list by March 2021,” he said. “This will require in the region of £50m as part of the 2020/21 health budget.”

He continued: “The New Decade, New Approach commitment should be seen as just a first step in dealing with the waiting list crisis.

“Sustained additional investment over future years will be needed. That means investment not just on dealing with waiting list backlogs but also increasing the system’s in-house capacity to provide assessment and treatment.”

He added: “This will include building our health and social care workforce and reshaping the way we provide services.”

A total of 305,017 patients were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment on December 31, 2019. That represents an increase of 8.3% (23,266) for the same date the year before. Over a third 36.7% (111,963) of patients were waiting more than a year, compared with 33.7% (94,953) at December 31 2018.

A total of 90,514 patients were waiting for admission to hospital on December 31, compared with 88,605 the year before. Over a quarter (29.9% or 27,090) of patients were waiting more than 52 weeks for either an inpatient or day case admission.