AQO 2488/22-27

Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim

Tabled Date: 25/09/2025
Answered On Date: 06/10/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the impact of the £3.5m allocation to tackle gynaecology waiting lists.

Answer:

As part of the elective care funding & implementation plan £3.5m has been earmarked for capacity building for red flag and time critical gynaecology. In-year funding continues to support non-recurrent additionality from both Trusts and the Independent Sector while recurrent capacity is being secured.

Between April and July 2025, 1968 women were assessed or treated using waiting list funding, costing £924, 951, with more activity planned.

There are ongoing discussions between the Department, Trusts and the Gynae Provider Collaborative around the medium to long-term investment requirements of Gynaecology. All parties are working to reduce red flag and time critical waiting times for patients, as well as to provide a more robust and resilient gynaecology service in the longer term. Led by clinician teams, the ongoing work will regionally standardise clinical criteria, develop clinical pathways that stretch from primary care to tertiary centre, support clinical e-triage processes, reducing variances in performance, as well as developing the nurse practitioner role and the role of gynaecology hubs. These actions are all consistent with the GIRFT recommendations ensuring patients are managed in the right place, at the right time by the right professional.

I can also advise that Gynaecology Primary Care Elective have been re-established to 100% capacity as of 01 April 2025. With an additional £1,073,986 cye funding being committed of the £2.9m recurrent funding.

This additional investment will enable 6,072 patients to be managed by 16 Gynaecology GPs with Enhanced Skills across 18 Host Practices.

As of 31 August, there have been 1,683 patients assessed and treated through this service. It is expected activity will incrementally increase with full activity to be delivered by 31 March 2026.