The Health Minister has unveiled plans for a restructuring of the Northern Ireland health service with “ring-fenced hubs for daycase and orthopaedic procedures”.
The move is aimed at tackling “appalling waiting times” even in the event of a second wave of Covid-19 infections with units that are self-contained and hoped to remain infection free.
Under the plans Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn is to become the location for Northern Ireland’s first Day Procedure Centre, while Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast and Derry’s Altnagelvin Area Hospital will be “designated hub sites for orthopaedic procedures”.
Robin Swann said the plans are based on the ‘centres of excellence’ model outlined in the 2016 Bengoa report.
But it is understood Department of Health officials believe having dedicated centres will also help the system cope with potential further waves of the pandemic, therefore “boosting the prospect for greater continuity of non-Covid services”.
The Minister told the Assembly today that the plan is for the procedures carried out in the centres to continue even in the event of a second outbreak. Infection control, he said, is better managed when elective care is separated from unscheduled care.
He added that the Emergency Department at Lagan Valley will continue as normal as “the layout of the site means that the two services can be managed separately without impacting on each other”.
In a statement, Mr Swann added that the “rebuilding of orthopaedics at these sites [Musgrave and Altnagelvin] following the first Covid-19 surge will be incremental, with a longer term aim to develop a region-wide network of orthopaedic practice, based on an alliance of the existing orthopaedic units”.
Waiting times in Northern Ireland for Orthopaedic Surgery, the Department of Health admitted today, “are among the worst in the UK, with patients waiting up to four or five years for operations such as hip replacements”.
This situation, they say, “has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the halting of most elective orthopaedic procedures”.
Mr Swann said: “The decisions point to a new future for our health service with specialist centres of excellence playing a key role. However, we are not there yet. My immediate priority is to get hospital services back up and running as quickly as possible, while also keeping patients and staff safe from Coronavirus.
“That is why I am moving ahead with these interim decisions. Whilst I have stepped outside normal consultation arrangements on this occasion, the implementation phase will allow for the relevant Trusts to carry out engagement and consultation with patients, trade unions and professional bodies.
"I also give an assurance that any permanent changes to the way services are delivered will be subject to full public consultation and engagement.”
The Health Minister added: “These are vitally needed decisions that will facilitate the re-building of hospital services. Tackling our appalling waiting times remains a top priority for me.
“Establishing ring-fenced hubs for daycase and orthopaedic procedures is part of our long-term strategy for reducing waiting lists. It is also very important for infection control purposes. The approach is also in line with the direction of travel for our health service mapped out by the Bengoa and Delivering Together reports in 2016.
“The aim is to develop regional planning and regional waiting lists, so that patients can more easily and quickly access care across different Trust boundaries.”
It is understood the private sector may also be called on to help with reducing waiting lists as has been practice in the past.
