AQW 23014/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 20/02/2025
Answered On Date: 01/04/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for his assessment of the availability of endocrine specialists in Northern Ireland.

Answer:

Each Trust has provided the following information in regard to the availability of endocrine specialists within their Trust.

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has confirmed 13 endocrinology consultants.

Northern Health and Social Care Trust has confirmed 3 permanent endocrine consultants and 2 locum consultants. These consultants are employed as General Medicine Consultants within the Endocrine-Diabetes specialism.

Based on the question as asked, South Eastern Trust is unable to provide an exact number of specialists as there are many people working within wider endocrinology – including within diabetes teams, in surgery for endocrine cancers, and paediatrics.

Southern Health and Social Care Trust has confirmed 3 substantive general medicine physicians with a specialist interest of diabetology and endocrinology. The Trust has also some locum provision contributing to the diabetes and endocrine service.

Western Health and Social Care Trust has confirmed 4.89 whole time equivalent consultants, 1.0 whole time equivalent speciality doctor and 1.0 whole time equivalent specialist registrar.