Health Minister praises ‘tangible results’ of service transformation at Causeway Hospital

Professor Mark Taylor, Regional Clinical Director for Elective Care, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Lynn Tennant, Interim Assistant Director Surgical and Clinical Services, Lynne McCartney, Interim Director of Surgery and Clinical Services, and George Gardiner, Executive Director of Medicine.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has praised Causeway Hospital for the “encouraging” progress being made to modernise services and improve how patient care is delivered, following a visit to the site earlier this week.

During the visit, the Minister saw first-hand how a range of redesigned clinical pathways are helping to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care, with a strong focus on reducing unnecessary hospital stays and supporting people to remain well and independent in their communities.

The visit comes at a significant time for the hospital, which will mark its 25th anniversary later this year.

Northern Health and Social Care Trust leaders used the opportunity to underline their long-term ambition for Causeway Hospital to become a key elective and diagnostic hub for the north west.

Welcoming the Minister, Northern Trust Medical Director Dr George Gardiner said the visit highlighted both progress to date and plans for the future.

“We will be celebrating Causeway Hospital’s 25th anniversary later this year so the Minister’s visit has been very timely. It has allowed us to highlight that our focus remains firmly on the future of Causeway Hospital, and our ambition to become an elective and diagnostic hub for the north west area.

“In line with this ambition, we have significantly invested in the Causeway Hospital site in recent years – including £1.8m for urgent and ambulatory care, £1.2m for solar energy and the newly installed state-of-the-art MRI scanner which represented an investment of approximately £2m.

“Alongside this capital investment, the Minister also had the opportunity to see how our teams are working hard to redesign pathways so that patients aren’t spending time in hospital unless they really need to. This ‘shift left’ approach is about earlier intervention, stronger community services and more joined-up care, all of which help people stay well and independent for longer.”

Allison Stevenson, Theatre Manager, Mike Nesbitt, Health Minister, Pauline McGaw, General Manager for Theatres, and Dr Alexander Davey, Consultant Anaesthetist.

A central focus of the visit was the hospital’s new ambulatory care areas, which are allowing more patients to be assessed, treated and discharged on the same day where appropriate, or scheduled for planned follow-up appointments within days rather than weeks.

Since opening in 2024, the ambulatory unit has been treating around 400 patients each month – more than double its original target of 160. On the back of this success, the service has already expanded its footprint, enabling even more patients to benefit from faster, more streamlined care.

Minister Nesbitt said the developments at Causeway Hospital demonstrated how reform can improve outcomes while easing pressure on acute services.

“It’s encouraging to see the progress being made at Causeway Hospital as part of the Reform North programme. By shifting care upstream and providing timely assessment and treatment without the need for hospital admission, we can enhance the overall experience for patients, while also making better use of the limited resources we have available.

“The numbers speak for themselves – we are seeing tangible results, and I want to acknowledge the progress that has been made. I commend all the staff involved in this important work and thank them for all that they are doing to improve outcomes for their patients.”

Lynne McCartney, Interim Director for Surgery and Clinical Services with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, said the visit was a welcome recognition of staff commitment and innovation.

“Improving patient care and outcomes is central to everything that we do and we were very pleased to have the Minister visit Causeway Hospital and see for himself, the innovative and transformative work that has been undertaken.

“Our staff work tirelessly all year round to provide the highest quality of care they can to our patients, service users and wider community and this was clearly recognised by the Minister.”

With continued investment in infrastructure, technology and new ways of working, Trust leaders say Causeway Hospital is increasingly well positioned to play a pivotal role in delivering sustainable, modern healthcare for the north west for decades to come.