AQW 759/22-27
Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry
Tabled Date: 30/05/2022
Answered On Date: 09/06/2022
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail what forms of redress are available for patients whose surgeries, or other medical appointments, for serious illness were cancelled or delayed due to the pandemic and led to worse health outcomes.
Answer:
There is no specific form of redress in relation to patients whose surgeries, or other medical appointments, for serious illness were cancelled or delayed due to the pandemic and led to worse health outcomes. Generally, redress is available where: negligence is admitted or proven and compensation is paid; the Public Services Ombudsman finds that there has been maladministration or service failure in the case of a complainant; or a public inquiry recommends that a redress scheme should be set up, and the relevant authority accepts that recommendation. Whilst I fully accept that the pandemic has had a devastating impact on health and social care capacity, access to surgery and medical appointments continued to be available and prioritised for the most seriously ill people. Unfortunately a number of theatre lists had to be postponed by Trusts at very short notice to allow staff to treat those seriously ill with COVID-19, and patients affected were rebooked for treatment at the earliest opportunity. Those circumstances, whilst highly regrettable, were unavoidable in the context of the pandemic. As Health Minister I am committed to increasing capacity to reduce waiting times within the budget available to my Department. As recently as last month I announced a further £46m for immediate capacity boosting in year and £16m in recurrent funding to reduce waits across elective care.
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