Debate contribution: Waiting Lists: Action Plan

Debate contribution by Mr Gary Middleton on 20 February 2024.

MLA: Mr Gary Middleton
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 20 February 2024
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Waiting Lists: Action Plan
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4380690

Text

I will begin my remarks by paying tribute to the fantastic and dedicated health and social care staff across Northern Ireland. Many of them are working in conditions that are very difficult and stressful. I want to put on record our thanks to them, first and foremost. As others have mentioned, it is a sad reality that here, in Northern Ireland, our waiting times are not only the worst across the United Kingdom but, indeed, are some of the worst across Western Europe. Over a quarter of Northern Ireland's population is on a waiting list. It is also a sad reality that a growing number of people in our communities are dying while languishing on waiting lists. The findings of the Northern Ireland Audit Office report send a stark signal of the need to urgently address the missed targets and the evergrowing waiting lists across the board. Of course, I have particular concerns about cancer targets. The latest figures that I have show that only the Western Trust met its target for patients diagnosed with cancer receiving treatment within 31 days. As an MLA for Foyle, I welcome this particular position and the target being met in the Western Trust, but the reality is that there are many different pictures across other trusts in Northern Ireland. Just 34% of patients with suspected cancer who were urgently referred by a GP began treatment within 62 days. That is against a 95% target. The Western Health and Social Care Trust's figure was 44%, whereas the Belfast Trust had the lowest percentage, at just 22·6%. Of course, there are big disparities across the various specialisms within the sector. Just 52·9% of patients were seen within 14 days of their urgent referral for breast cancer, against a target of 100%. Unfortunately, no trust achieved that target. The postcode lottery for services is simply not sustainable. Yesterday in the Chamber, we spoke about the economy and the need to address regional imbalance. We need to ensure that regional imbalance and regional inequalities are addressed across the health sector. There are similarly concerning statistics across all levels of the health and social care system. We have heard today about how people are waiting an extraordinary amount of time to access mental health services and drug and alcohol services that would, no doubt, go towards improving their life, or even saving their life.
I thank the Member for her intervention. It is a very timely point. The Member touched on the community and voluntary sector earlier and mentioned the various organisations that help alleviate pressure and ensure that there is not a greater cost down the line. The problem that I have, and the concern that many of us have, is that the cost could ultimately be a life, and that is something that concerns us all. I also raise the need to address urgent and emergency care in our emergency departments. There is a frustration at the number of people who unfortunately cannot access their GP. In the statistics that I have, it is stated that almost 20% of people attending have been referred to our emergency departments by GPs. That accounts only for those who were referred, however. There are also many people who unfortunately cannot get through to a GP. They therefore present at the emergency department, even though that may not be the most appropriate place for them to be.
Absolutely. We need to look at every type of initiative. In our GP services, we see the use of multidisciplinary teams. There are various mechanisms that we need to use, and we cannot rule things out. We need to be looking for the best possible outcomes for our constituents. The Audit Office report sets out a number of recommendations. I agree with other Members that we have had a lot of strategies. We now need an action plan. We need something that we can point to and say, "This is now the course of action that we are going to take". We have waited far too long for our waiting lists to be addressed. Now is the time to bring forward an action plan and ensure that we can deliver for our constituents.

700 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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