The Health Minister has challenged MLAs to face up to the reality that waiting lists will not be reduced without extra investment.
Mike Nesbitt said the “irony klaxon” sounded on a daily basis in his department when politicians who support the current Stormont budget allocation call for new or expanded services.
Mr Nesbitt has already warned that his department faces a £400 million funding gap in the next financial year.
During Assembly questions on Tuesday, the minister was asked by his Ulster Unionist Party colleague Steve Aiken if the budget aligned with a commitment in the draft programme for government to tackle Northern Ireland’s spiralling waiting lists.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt (Brian Lawless/PA)
Mr Nesbitt said no additional funding to address waiting times had been made available.
“And this will be the second consecutive year where no such money has been provided by the Executive,” he added.
“Overall my department’s proposed allocation for financial year 25/26 represents a small increase in funding compared to 24/25.
“However, it will not be sufficient to cover the significant increases in costs it will face.
“And that’s due to a number of factors – including pay and price inflation, the increase in national insurance contributions for GPs, pharmacists and social care providers and, of course, rising demand.”
Mr Nesbitt said health trusts would be asked to make £200 million worth of savings for a second year running.
The minister said he hoped to make up the remaining £200 million shortfall by securing extra funding during the Executive’s in-year monitoring processes.
“The assumption that savings on this scale are achievable is not without considerable risk,” he said.
“It will inevitably have consequences for service delivery, including waiting times. With this draft budget allocation, I would challenge the Assembly and the Executive to honestly consider how they can expect us to achieve a reduction in waiting lists.”
Dr Aiken said the minister had “nailed the myth” that the programme for government was prioritising waiting lists.
He added: “Does the minister agree with me that it’s the height of hypocrisy for some MLAs in this chamber to demand additional investment in existing services at the same time as actively supporting a budget that doesn’t give you the resources that you need?”
The minister replied: “I do agree that there is an irony in the fact of members voting for a budget, despite being warned of its potential impact on healthcare delivery, and then almost on a daily basis writing to me and requesting that I consider additional funding for a new service here, a new service there, for example, bowel cancer screening.”
He said he received an average of one letter a week from MLAs urging the reinstatement of a cross-border link-up that saw patients in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland access certain treatments in their neighbouring jurisdiction.
“It was very successful, it was so successful we wanted to do it again,” said Mr Nesbitt.
“And, in fact, it was part of a £135 million bid on waiting lists that was submitted to the Department of Finance, but was not supported by the Executive. And, from memory, I think that means around 4,000 people failed to get procedures from that cross-border initiative.
“So, yes, the irony klaxon sounds on a daily basis in the Department of Health.”