AQW 39916/22-27

Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast

Tabled Date: 05/02/2026
Answered On Date: 21/04/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the pilot programme to transfer eligible endometriosis patients from secondary to primary care, due to be launched in the Belfast and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trusts.

Answer:

The pilot programme has focused on patients with the longest routine waiting times within Trusts who are clinically suitable for transfer to the General Practice Elective Care Service. These patients are reviewed by GPs with enhanced skills in gynaecology.

As part of this pilot, the General Practice Elective Care Service has accepted just over 300 patients from the South Eastern Trust, transferring appropriate long-wait patients from secondary care into a primary care setting.

The primary care service is currently working through this cohort of patients and continues to operate in close collaboration with Trust teams to ensure safe and effective management.

At present, no patient has been transferred as yet from the Belfast Trust. However, approximately 750 patients have been transferred from the Northern, Western, and Southern Trusts as part of this regional initiative.