To ask the Minister of Health whether any (i) assessment has been made of the condition and remaining operational lifespan of Holywell Hospital; and (ii) risk assessment has been undertaken in relation to a potential gap in inpatient mental health provision in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust in event it becomes unfit for purpose prior to the opening of the Birch Hill mental health facility.

The response to these questions has been informed by part input response from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust:

(i) The Northern Health and Social Care Trust have now received results from a comprehensive six-facet estate appraisal completed by chartered surveyors from the consultancy firm Rider Levett Bucknall. This considered physical condition, functional suitability, space utilisation, quality, statutory compliance and environmental management.

The appraisal identified a significant backlog maintenance requirement across the Holywell Hospital estate. The physical condition backlog was approximately £42.7 million, with approximately £38.5 million directly attributable to building-related costs. This includes significant requirements associated with building fabric, engineering infrastructure, drainage, asbestos, fire safety, accessibility and lifecycle replacement of major building services.

The appraisal also identified functional suitability deficiencies, estimated at approximately £5.2 million, reflecting the limitations of the current accommodation and its ability to support modern healthcare standards and contemporary models of care.

Statutory compliance-related backlog was identified at approximately £13.5 million gross.

The assessment confirmed that significant elements of the Holywell Hospital estate are now life-expired or approaching the end of their expected operational life, meaning that the existing estate is becoming increasingly difficult and costly to sustain as a long-term healthcare facility.

(ii) The Trust have acknowledged the risk posed by the deterioration of the existing Holywell estate and continue to take action to mitigate against further deterioration via non-recurrent annual task and finish funding released by my Department to tackle the priority items. This mitigation will continue until such times that there is budget availability to construct a replacement facility.