Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has confirmed that £80 million will be specifically allocated and ringfenced to expand elective care capacity and address treatment waiting lists during the 2026/27 financial year. The announcement took place during a ministerial visit to the Elective Overnight Stay Centre (EOSC) at the Mater Hospital in Belfast.

This targeted funding is designed to maintain momentum in lowering the longest and most urgent waiting times across the region. The initiative supports the Executive's broader Programme for Government pledge to reduce critical and red flag healthcare waiting lists, prioritising the needs of patients throughout Northern Ireland.

Existing work under the Programme for Government has already made inroads into clearing long-standing delays. This includes completely removing waiting times of over four years for procedures such as tonsillectomies, colonoscopies, and laparoscopic cholecystectomies, alongside notable progress in lowering waiting lists for hernia operations. Specific details regarding how this funding will be distributed across various health and social care sectors for the 2026/27 period will be finalised in the near future.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: "Reducing waiting times and improving access to care are among my sharpest areas of focus as Health Minister and central to the Executive's Programme for Government commitment to do what matters most for people across Northern Ireland.

"This investment is a continuation of the Executive's previous commitment to expand elective care capacity and deliver sustained improvements for patients. By working together as one system, we are increasing activity, improving productivity and reducing unacceptable waits for care.

"Real progress is being made. Waiting lists in time critical and red flag areas are falling, capacity is increasing and staff across our health and social care system are delivering for patients every day in exceptionally challenging circumstances. But we know there is much more to do, and sustained investment alongside reform will be essential if we are to maintain momentum." While touring the facility, the Minister spoke with frontline staff to discuss how the dedicated overnight unit has helped lower surgical delays and deliver on both the Elective Care Framework objectives and the Executive's waiting list targets.

Since it first opened in November 2022, the EOSC has provided care to upwards of 8,000 patients across a range of surgical specialities. It has been a central asset in managing extensive waiting lists for operations like hernia repairs and laparoscopic cholecystectomies.

By handling these specific cases, the centre has alleviated pressure on alternative medical sites, allowing the Belfast Trust to redirect resources toward more complex cases involving individuals who have experienced the longest delays. The throughput at the Mater EOSC has directly supported wider regional improvements, including cutting down hernia lists and eradicating four-year-plus waiting times for laparoscopic cholecystectomy operations.

Minister Nesbitt said: "The Mater Hospital is an excellent example of innovation, teamwork and determination helping to improve outcomes for patients.

"Staff here at the Mater, alongside colleagues right across the health and social care system, have shown real energy, ambition and commitment in helping reduce waiting times. Their work demonstrates what can be achieved when we work together as one system for all the people of Northern Ireland."

Tara Clinton, Interim Director of Anaesthetics, Critical Care, Theatres and Sterile Services (ACCTSS) at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, said: "The Mater's Elective Overnight Stay Centre represents a significant development in elective care delivery for Belfast Trust and has made an important contribution to reducing long waits for surgery.

"Working in partnership with clinical and theatre teams, the centre has supported delivery against Elective Care Framework priorities and Programme for Government waiting list targets, while helping release capacity for more complex patients across the wider hospital system.

"We are grateful to all staff whose continued professionalism, commitment and innovation are helping improve access to care for patients."

Securing this elective care funding for 2026/27 will underpin subsequent efforts to maximise productivity, boost capacity, and drive down red flag and time-sensitive waiting periods, ultimately ensuring a larger volume of patients gain access to essential treatments.