Northern Ireland waiting lists fall as Health Minister commends staff amid ongoing reforms

Inset: Northern Ireland Health Minister Mike Nesbitt

Northern Ireland’s hospital waiting lists for outpatients, inpatients, and diagnostics have recorded small but meaningful reductions, a rare positive shift amid years of mounting demand.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomed the latest figures and credited healthcare staff for their “tremendous effort” in improving patient access to care.

Minister praises incremental improvements

Speaking alongside the publication of the quarterly waiting list statistics for 31 December 2025, Minister Nesbitt emphasised that the reductions reflect more than just increased activity.

He said:

“One of my key priorities is reducing waiting lists and I welcome the incremental improvements we have seen in the latest figures. For the first time in recent years, we have seen a fall in the number of people waiting for an outpatient appointment, against a backdrop of rising demand.”

The Minister highlighted specific figures showing a simultaneous decline across all major waiting list categories: over 15,000 fewer outpatients, 7,316 fewer inpatients/day cases, and 6,673 fewer patients waiting for diagnostic tests in the latest quarter.

“This represents a tremendous effort to build capacity, improve productivity, embrace new ways of working and ensure patients receive the right treatment, in the right place, in as timely a manner as possible,” Nesbitt said.

He underlined that despite the positive direction, long waits remain a pressing concern:

“There is more work to do. Every statistic represents a patient waiting for an appointment or a procedure. However, despite the increasing pressure on our services, these statistics recognise the determination to reform our services to meet patient need.

“Our healthcare staff are at the centre of this effort to increase elective capacity, improving waiting times and patient outcomes.”

Outpatient waiting times: Progress amid long-term backlogs

At the end of December 2025, 527,062 patients were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment in Northern Ireland, a 2.8% reduction from September. Yet targets remain far off:

• Median outpatient waiting time: 63.7 weeks (down from 64.1 weeks).

• 95th percentile: 303.7 weeks (~nearly six years).

• 87.1% of patients waited more than nine weeks (target: 50%).

• 55.3% waited more than 52 weeks (target: none).

The Minister noted the role of system reforms and digital innovation in achieving these reductions:

“I have no doubt that the ongoing delivery of the Elective Care Framework will continue to improve these statistics.

“Significant numbers of patients are being treated through our elective care facilities and, in combination with the modernisation of outpatient services, integration of GP elective procedures and a digitally enhanced approach to the delivery of care, I anticipate that we will see further improvement.”

Inpatient and day case admissions

Inpatients and day cases also saw reductions. As of 31 December 2025:

• Total waiting list: 84,329 patients (8% fall).

• Median wait: 30.1 weeks (down from 35.1 weeks).

• 95th percentile: 311.1 weeks (~6 years).

• 65.1% of patients waited longer than 13 weeks (target: 55%).

• 38.1% waited longer than 52 weeks (target: none).

Minister Nesbitt emphasised that the fall in inpatient waits is tied to broader system efficiency improvements:

“These figures represent the determination to reform services and the ongoing effort to increase elective capacity, ensuring that patients receive timely care. Every reduction, every patient treated, is a reflection of the dedication of our healthcare workforce.”

Specialty pressure is concentrated in orthopaedics, gastroenterology, general surgery, ophthalmology, and urology. The Minister stressed the role of regional Day Case Procedure Centres and the Northern Trust’s efforts to direct patients to alternative hubs to ease local pressure.

Diagnostic services

Diagnostic waits fell by 6,673 to 220,999 patients, but Minister Nesbitt acknowledged continued challenges:

• 63.5% waited over nine weeks (up from 61.9%).

• 38.9% waited over 26 weeks (up from 38.6%).

• 77.4% of urgent tests were reported within two days (up from 73.8%).

“While these statistics show positive movement, we recognise the ongoing pressure on diagnostic services. Improving turnaround times is critical to supporting timely treatment and reducing downstream delays in our elective care system.”

Broader system reforms

Minister Nesbitt highlighted structural initiatives underpinning the improvements:

• Elective Care Framework: Modernised outpatient services, GP-integrated elective procedures, and use of encompass digital patient records.

• Integrated Neighbourhood Teams: 17 teams launching April 2026 to provide more elective-style care within communities, potentially bypassing hospital outpatient appointments.

• Support While Waiting Grant Scheme: Funding community organisations to offer physical activity, pain management, and mental health support to patients awaiting treatment.

• Workforce Expansion: Northern Ireland’s HSC workforce grew to 66,939 whole-time equivalents, with Northern Trust increasing registered nursing and midwifery staff to support surgical capacity.

“I am encouraged by today’s figures, while acknowledging the sustained effort and continued collaboration required to transform our elective care,” Nesbitt said, framing the statistics as a turning point for Northern Ireland hospitals.

Northern Trust focus: Outpatient, Inpatient, and Diagnostic trends

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust continues to face significant pressure across outpatient, inpatient, and diagnostic services, even as small improvements emerge.

As of 31 December 2025, the Northern Trust mirrors regional trends, with the vast majority of patients waiting over the recommended targets. Nearly nine out of ten outpatient patients are waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led appointment, and over half have been waiting more than a year.

Key specialties driving these waits include ENT, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, and Dermatology, while Neurology, Rheumatology, and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery account for the longest delays.

Community Paediatrics figures appear higher than in previous quarters due to the way the new encompass digital patient record system captures referrals.

In inpatient and day case admissions, Northern Trust patients are part of the 84,329 people across Northern Ireland awaiting treatment. Median wait times have fallen from 35.1 to 30.1 weeks, and 65% of patients are waiting longer than 13 weeks. Around 38% have been waiting more than a year.

Surgical pressure is concentrated in Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, and Urology. The use of regional Day Case Procedure Centres has helped ease some local pressure, allowing certain elective procedures to be completed outside the main hospital sites.

Emergency pressures remain a key factor at Antrim Area Hospital, which recorded 7,588 attendances in December alone.

The hospital’s high occupancy levels contributed to 11,325 patients regionally waiting over 12 hours in Emergency Departments during the month, leading to the cancellation of some inpatient elective surgeries. This explains why day case procedures are improving faster than overnight admissions.

Causeway Hospital, while experiencing less extreme pressure, is similarly affected by regional demand and the ongoing backlog.

Diagnostic services also face sustained demand. Northern Trust patients are part of the 220,999 awaiting tests across Northern Ireland, with 63.5% waiting longer than nine weeks and nearly 39% waiting more than 26 weeks.

Urgent diagnostic tests are being reported more quickly, with 77.4% completed within the two-day target, but routine tests continue to experience significant delays.

Non-Obstetric Ultrasound and MRI remain the largest contributors to the diagnostic backlog, while Audiometry and Echocardiography numbers are temporarily elevated due to changes in encompass data capture.

Deep dive: Quarter-on-quarter trends and specialty pressures

Outpatient Appointments (Consultant-Led)

• Total patients waiting fell from 542,451 in September 2025 to 527,062 in December 2025, a 2.8% reduction (15,389 fewer patients).

• Median wait improved slightly, from 64.1 weeks to 63.7 weeks.

• The 95th percentile wait dropped from 305.6 weeks to 303.7 weeks.

• Patients waiting over 9 weeks increased marginally from 86.4% to 87.1%, reflecting the persistence of long-wait cases.

• Patients waiting over 52 weeks fell slightly from 55.6% to 55.3%.

• Key specialties with highest pressure in the Northern Trust remain ENT, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, and Dermatology. Neurology, Rheumatology, and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery are seeing the longest waits nationally.

Inpatient and Day Case Admissions

• Total waiting list reduced from 91,645 to 84,329, an 8.0% decrease (7,316 fewer patients).

• Median wait improved from 35.1 weeks to 30.1 weeks, showing faster progress on shorter-term cases.

• The 95th percentile decreased from 326.7 weeks to 311.1 weeks (~6 years).

• 65.1% of patients waited longer than 13 weeks (down from 68.9%).

• 38.1% waited longer than 52 weeks (down from 41.6%).

• Specialty pressure in the Northern Trust is highest in Orthopaedics, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Ophthalmology, and Urology.

• Day Case Procedure Centres (DCPCs) continue to absorb some elective surgery volume, easing pressure on hospital beds.

Diagnostic Services

• Total patients waiting fell from 227,672 to 220,999, a 2.9% reduction (6,673 fewer).

• Patients waiting over 9 weeks increased from 61.9% to 63.5%, showing that long-wait patients are still a challenge.

• Patients waiting over 26 weeks rose slightly from 38.6% to 38.9%.

• Urgent diagnostic tests reported within two days improved from 73.8% to 77.4%.

• Largest waiting lists remain for Non-Obstetric Ultrasound (18.4%) and MRI (13.3%).

System-Level Observations

• The outpatient waiting list (~527k) remains more than six times the inpatient list (~84k), indicating the primary bottleneck is at the initial assessment stage.

• The Northern Trust’s transition to the encompass digital patient record system is now stabilised; some reduction in total numbers reflects better identification of duplicates.

• Emergency pressures at Antrim Area Hospital continue to impact inpatient elective surgery. High emergency admissions result in cancellations of overnight surgeries.

• Short-term reductions mostly affect “easier wins” (patients closer to treatment), while the longest waits continue to stretch into multi-year delays.

At a glance

• Outpatients: 527,062 waiting; 2.8% drop; median wait 63.7 weeks; 55% over 52 weeks.

• Inpatients/day cases: 84,329 waiting; 8% drop; median wait 30.1 weeks; 38% over 52 weeks.

• Diagnostics: 220,999 waiting; 2.9% drop; 38.9% over 26 weeks; urgent tests improving.

• Long waits concentrated in ENT, gynaecology, ophthalmology, general surgery, dermatology, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, urology.

• Northern Trust relies on Day Case Procedure Centres to reduce local pressure; elective surgery still affected by high emergency admissions at Antrim Area Hospital.

• System improvements include the Elective Care Framework, encompass digital records, Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, and patient support programmes from April 2026.

• Minister Nesbitt emphasises that each reduction reflects patient care and staff dedication; sustained effort is needed to address long-term backlogs.