Patients urged to update details as Health Minister backs drive to reduce Northern Ireland waiting lists
- Love Ballymena
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Professor Mark Taylor with the Belfast Trust Validation Team
People waiting for hospital treatment in Northern Ireland are being urged to keep their contact details and medical information up to date as part of a renewed effort to reduce lengthy waiting lists and ensure appointments are not wasted.
The appeal comes after Health Minister Mike Nesbitt visited the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust’s Validation Team at Belfast City Hospital, where he praised staff responsible for checking that waiting lists remain accurate and reflect patients’ current circumstances.
The team contacts patients to confirm they still want to remain on waiting lists, updates contact information, removes duplicate records and identifies people who have already received treatment elsewhere or no longer require care.
Helping appointments reach the right patients
The Department of Health says maintaining accurate waiting lists is an important part of tackling Northern Ireland’s record waiting times because it helps ensure available appointments are offered to patients who still need them.
During his visit, Mr Nesbitt said improving access to assessment, diagnosis and treatment depended not only on increasing capacity but also on making sure waiting lists accurately reflected current patient need.
He said:
“Improving access to assessment, diagnosis and treatment while making the best use of every available appointment is critical to reducing waits.
“That also means making sure our waiting lists are accurate, up to date and focused on patients who still need care. The Belfast Trust Validation Team plays a vital role in that work by helping ensure care is directed to those who need it most.
“Tackling waiting lists is a shared responsibility. I encourage everyone waiting for treatment to tell their Trust if their circumstances or contact details change, or if they no longer need treatment.
“I also encourage patients to use the My Care patient portal, where available, to stay informed about their care and appointments.
“I want to thank every member of the Validation Team for their professionalism, compassion and commitment. Your work makes a real difference to patients every day.”
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt with Joanne Megahey
The Minister also heard how the service has expanded its use of digital technology alongside direct contact with patients to strengthen waiting list management and support delivery of the Elective Care Framework 2026.
What patients should do
The Belfast Trust says anyone currently waiting for outpatient, inpatient or day case treatment should notify their health trust if:
their contact details change;
their symptoms improve significantly or become much worse;
they receive treatment elsewhere; or
they no longer wish to remain on the waiting list.
Keeping this information up to date helps ensure clinical appointments are offered to patients who still require treatment and reduces the risk of delays caused by outdated records.
Jenna Crawford, Co-Director of Performance and Planning at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, said the Validation Team plays an important role in improving both patient safety and the quality of waiting list information.
She said:
“The Validation Team reviews outpatient, inpatient and day case waiting lists ensuring records are accurate and up to date. The team forms part of the wider work across Health and Social Care to improve waiting list management.
“The Validation Team contact patients to confirm they still wish to remain on the waiting list, validate their contact details, identify duplicate records and ensure waiting list information reflects patients’ current needs.
“This work supports patient safety, improves the quality of waiting list data and helps ensure available clinical capacity is directed to patients who need it most.”
How to check your information
Patients are also encouraged to register for the My Care patient portal, where available, to view appointment information and details about their hospital care:
Further information about waiting lists, including frequently asked questions, is available on the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust waiting times webpage:
While validating waiting lists will not reduce waiting times on its own, health officials say accurate records help ensure limited appointments are not lost and can instead be offered more quickly to patients who are still waiting for treatment.