Funding Allocated To Tackle Waiting Lists

Over £47 million additional funding has been allocated to tackle waiting lists in the Northern Ireland Health Service.

Health Minister Simon Hamilton said the £47.6m is a "much needed" boost in the industry.

Minister Hamilton said: "£40 million of the extra resources my Department has received in the November Monitoring Round will go specifically to tackling waiting lists.

"This investment will allow up to 40,000 additional assessments and between 10,000 and 15,000 additional operations and treatments to be progressed. This will be across a wide range of specialities including orthopaedics, gastroenterology, neurology, and ENT.

"I understand the stress and strain that being on a waiting list will have meant for many people so I am pleased that very soon, many will start to receive notification of early appointments for hip and knee operations, spinal procedures and urology for example."

In addition to the £40 million for waiting lists, a further £7.6 million has been secured to meet a range of priority pressures across essential front line services.

(CD/JP)