To ask the Minister of Health (i) for an update on the future provision of general surgery at Causeway Hospital; and (ii) to detail the reasons behind the exploration into the potential of ending general surgery there.

In March 2024, the Northern Trust published “Causeway Hospital A Strategic Vision.” The vision outlines the Trust’s ambition to develop and enhance the Causeway site, focussing on providing a 24/7 Emergency Department and acute inpatients services, same day emergency care, elective care and cancer services, and reshaping mental health provision to meet the needs of the local population. It also highlights how Causeway Hospital is perfectly positioned to become an elective and diagnostic hub for the entire North West area.

On Thursday 28 March 2024, I visited the newly established surgical ambulatory service. This service which is opened each week - Monday to Friday - 9am to 5pm, assesses, diagnoses and treats surgical patients referred from the ED Department and it is planned that the service will be open to GP referrals in the near future. This is a great new service and it means that emergency and urgent surgical patients are streamlined to treatment in a safe and effective way.

I appreciate the work of our doctors, nurses and healthcare staff and acknowledge the positive impact that this model for the emergency surgery service will bring for patients presenting with surgical conditions such as; Diverticulitis were no abscess is present, mild cholecystitis, perianal abscess, pilonidal abscess, early discharge patients’ post-surgery who can be safely managed via the surgical “hot” clinic for further treatment and review.

The need to change in how we deliver surgical services in Northern Ireland is necessary as we develop service models that can meet/best mitigate the essential standards set within the Review of General Surgery in Northern Ireland.

I appreciate the changes and recent developments in Northern Trust, to improve services for the local population, particularly the new ambulatory services and pathways which should improve outcomes and make services more accessible and am delighted to support the need for this new model for emergency ambulatory surgery in the Causeway area and the benefits it brings to the population of the area.