AQW 32648/22-27
Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast
Tabled Date: 02/10/2025
Answered On Date: 20/10/2025
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) his Department's priority list of capital projects; and (ii) whether that priority list is based on patient outcome.
Answer:
The constrained financial position facing the Department of Health (DoH) means that priority in the short to medium term is afforded to those projects which have already started, or which have made significant progress through the approvals process and are considered inescapable. All capital projects funded by DoH are expected to contribute to the aims and objectives of the department with the overall mission being to improve the health and social well-being of the people of Northern Ireland. Below is the list of the DoH capital projects that are either in implementation, there is some form of a contractual commitment or are required for the ongoing functioning of Health & Social Care (HSC) services. New Maternity Hospital, Royal Group of Hospitals (RGH) New Children's Hospital, RGH Site Infrastructure Works, RGH NIFRS Learning and Development Centre Strabane Health and Care Centre (City Deal) Altnagelvin Medical Education, Inclusive Futures Funding (IFF) WHSCT R&D Expansion (IFF) Glenmona Replacement Intensive Support Unit Regional Haematology Treatment Ward Midwifery Led Unit - Antrim Area Hospital Antrim Area Hospital Electrical Infrastructure Daisy Hill Hospital Low Voltage Works Lisnaskea Health Care Centre Congenital Heart Disease Professorship Academic Programme Managed Equipment Service (MES) Contract McCloud Pension System Encompass Northern Ireland Laboratory Information Management System (NILIMS) Northern Ireland Picture Archiving and Communications System Replacement (NIPACS+) - BSO BloodPat Equip Digital Identity Service General Medical Services ICT Vision Migration of GP practices Cushendall Fire Station Fintona Fire Station Altnagelvin Paediatrics Unit Newry Community Care and Treatment Centre Cityside Health and Care Centre Regional Radio-pharmacy Facility Glenmona Separated Minors Unit Imaging Academy Mother and Baby Unit (Peri-Natal Mental Health) Craigavon Area Hospital Redevelopment- Initial Phase Antrim Area Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit South Eastern Mental Health Unit Centre for Mental Health, Omagh Altnagelvin Emergency Department In addition to these specific projects, a significant proportion of the capital programme relates to maintaining existing services. Included in this category is the ongoing need to invest in medical equipment, the HSC and Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service fleet, ICT, smaller estates schemes and backlog maintenance. This also includes HSC R&D, ongoing investment in GP practices through the GP Improvement Scheme and to facilitate the rollout of Multi-Disciplinary Teams. This category of expenditure is deemed as inescapable given its importance in maintaining service delivery and managing risks to infrastructure failure. Although capital investment within DoH is diverse in nature, almost all of these projects have been proposed and progressed as they are expected to contribute to improving the supporting infrastructure which results in improved public health, patient outcomes or public safety.
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