Health Minister Robbie Butler has unveiled a £1.95 million package to expand endometriosis services across Northern Ireland, aiming to improve access to care, shorten waiting times and ensure women receive appropriate treatment without delay.

The funding includes £700,000 for the two Regional Endometriosis Centres in the Belfast and Western Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts. A further £1.25 million will be shared across all five HSC Trusts to strengthen local provision and support the rollout of a new Regional Endometriosis Pathway.

Announcing the investment during a visit to the Regional Endometriosis Centre at Belfast City Hospital, the Minister met staff and observed the Da Vinci 5 robotic surgery platform in operation. Since May 2026, 130 patients needing complex procedures have undergone robotic-assisted surgery. Capital for the platform was provided through Belfast HSC Trust Charitable Funds, with revenue supported by the Department of Health.

The package builds on wider efforts to improve women's health and reduce waits, including earlier funding of £1.8 million for assessment and triage services and £1.9 million to increase procedural nursing capacity, which are helping expand access to gynaecology care.

Minister Butler said: "For too many women, endometriosis can affect every aspect of daily life. Many have experienced long waits for diagnosis and treatment while living with significant pain and uncertainty.

"Women deserve better. They deserve timely access to the care and support they need. While there is still much to do, we cannot afford to stand still. Every improvement we make today helps build a better service for the women who rely on it tomorrow.

"This £1.95 million investment is an important step towards improving access to diagnosis, treatment and support. Through investment in specialist services, local care and a regional pathway, women will receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time." Services are also increasing capacity through Gynaecology GP Elective Care Services, additional outpatient clinics, enhanced triage, direct-to-test pathways and expanded diagnostics. Extra laparoscopy and elective theatre sessions are supporting earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Progress is being recorded across the system. Northern Ireland's outpatient waiting lists fell from 54,770 in September 2025 to 47,318 in September 2026, while the number waiting more than a year for inpatient and day-case treatment dropped by 56%.

In Belfast Trust, the number of women awaiting a first outpatient gynaecology appointment is down 4%, with no patient now waiting longer than 2 years and 10 months for a first appointment. The longest wait for inpatient and day-case treatment has reduced from 7 to 3 years.

Professor Mark Taylor, Regional Clinical Director for Elective Care, said: "Women benefit most when the entire health service works together. Endometriosis care relies on multi-disciplinary teams working across hospitals and services to provide co-ordinated care and support. Alongside advances in robotic-assisted surgery, that collaboration is helping us deliver increasingly complex treatments in less invasive ways and support faster recovery for patients."

Minister Butler added: "This investment marks an important milestone in efforts to improve women's health services across Northern Ireland. By strengthening specialist and local services, reducing variation and expanding access to modern treatment options, it will help ensure more women receive the care they need, when they need it."

The funding also underpins delivery of the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) Report for Gynaecology. A Regional HSC Gynaecology Services Forum has been established to drive service improvement and regional delivery.

This announcement supports the Department of Health's wider programme to tackle waiting lists, enabled by the Executive's £80 million Programme for Government funding package for elective care in 2026/27.