AQW 33397/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail when he expects to make a final decision on the Northern Health and Social Care Trust’s proposal to remove emergency general surgery from Causeway Hospital.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 13 October 2025
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 13 October 2025
- Answer due by
- 28 October 2025
- Answered
- 2 February 2026112 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
On 18 December, Tracey McCaig, Chief Operating Officer of SPPG, chaired an Emergency General Surgery Causeway Summit. The meeting brought together senior leaders from the Northern Trust, Western Trust, and NIAS at Chief Executive and Director level to consider the potential impact on these organisations should emergency surgery at Causeway Hospital close.
The purpose of the summit was to enable system-wide planning ahead of any Ministerial announcements. It was agreed that further work is required to review expected patient flows, which will inform the Minister’s decision. An independent analysis has been commissioned from Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) to support this modelling exercise, test the underlying assumptions and assess the potential impact.
A further update is expected by March 2026.