AQW 33647/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 15/10/2025
Answered On Date: 11/11/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of patients removed from waiting lists due to criteria changes, in the last two years.

Answer:

Thank you for your previous correspondence and follow up question. There has been no change to the position previously set out in my recent response. The updated Effective Use of Resources (EUR) policy was published in 2023 alongside the rollout of the Encompass Programme, which is digitising patient records across all HSC Trusts.

This has temporarily limited reporting on restricted procedures, including data on patients removed from waiting lists because they no longer meet EUR criteria. The most current data relates to 2023/24 and is referenced in the Northern Ireland Audit Office report Performance of Restricted Procedures by Health Trusts (8 October 2025).

The Department and HSC Trusts are working to embed future monitoring within the new digital infrastructure and strengthen governance of the EUR policy. Once this work is complete, the requested information will be more accessible.