AQW 42312/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 11/03/2026
Answered On Date: 24/04/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister, given it comprises of only four people, to detail any specific skills the Delivery Unit add to the Department of Health, which are not already available to it, in order to bring down waiting lists.

Answer:

The Unit is intentionally small, currently comprising five fulltime staff, and is designed to act as a catalyst rather than an additional delivery layer. Its approach will continue to evolve, informed by experience and evidence of what most effectively supports departments to deliver complex, crosscutting priorities.

In relation to waiting lists, the Unit is working alongside colleagues in the Department of Health supporting progress tracking and crosssystem alignment. It is also supporting priority transformation initiatives, including the rollout of multidisciplinary teams in GP practices, where sustained coordination across the system is critical to success.