Surgeons have indicated that the latest waiting times data for Northern Ireland reveals the “health service is in a precarious state and urgent investment in the surgical workforce is essential.”
The most recent data highlights the critical strain on Northern Ireland’s health service, showing the need for significant investment in the surgical workforce. As of June 30, 2024, over 340,000 individuals were waiting for their first consultant-led outpatient appointment across four of the region’s health trusts, with more than half of these patients having waited over a year.
The data also points out problems with the new electronic patient record system, Encompass. Launched by the South Eastern Health Trust in November 2023 and Belfast Trust in June 2024. This rollout has led to incomplete waiting time figures for several trusts, making it hard to compare data over time, according to BBC News.
Concerns About the Surgical Workforce
Mr. Niall McGonigle, Northern Ireland Director of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, noted that the data’s incompleteness makes it challenging to assess progress. He highlighted concerns about a diminishing surgical workforce, with 91% of surgeons aged 55 to 64 planning to retire within the next four years. “Burnout and stress are driving many to leave the profession, which is catastrophic for a service in dire need of their expertise,” McGonigle stated.
Dr. Alan Stout, chair of BMA’s Northern Ireland Council, called for radical changes involving clinicians to improve service delivery.
The data shows almost 108,000 individuals waiting for inpatient or day case admissions, with particularly long waits in Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT), Urology, and Trauma and Orthopaedics (T&O) specialties, reaching up to five to six years.
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