Elective Care Framework Delivering Improvement and Exceeding Targets

Date published: 27 January 2026

Waiting lists are falling. Capacity is increasing. Productivity is improving. Key framework targets have been delivered and, in several areas, exceeded threefold.

Speaking at the Clinical Leaders Symposium in Stormont, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt praised Trusts and clinical leaders for their collective role in accelerating reform.

He said: “Collectively all of you here have shown real innovation, energy and ambition.” 

“By working as one system, we are delivering more care, more efficiently and more consistently for patients.

“The service was asked to deliver 70,000 additional elective activities. That means thousands more people seen, diagnosed and treated sooner. We haven’t just met the target already. We have delivered nearly triple that number and there are two more months to go this financial year.

“This has been driven by new ways of working, better use of data, modern scheduling and digital platforms that help us plan and deliver care more efficiently.

“It has been delivered by hard work, innovation and a collective determination to do better for patients. Together we will keep increasing activity, keep improving access and keep driving down waiting times.”

Clinical leaders discussed approaches to improving theatre utilisation, clinical validation, job planning, Direct Clinical Care, incentives, and Patient-Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU).

The Minister commended Trusts, clinical teams and operational managers for their contribution to system-wide improvement in a challenging environment. He also recognised the work of Professor Mark Taylor, noting his leadership in elective reform and clinical engagement and pathway standardisation.

“Professor Mark Taylor has been instrumental in promoting alignment across Trusts and supporting clinicians to share learning and deliver as one service.”

The next phase of the Elective Care Framework will continue to embed standardisation, expand elective capacity, use digital platforms to support validation and scheduling, and strengthen the system’s long-term sustainability.

“Our ambition is clear — equitable, timely and person-centred access to elective care for all,” the Minister concluded.

“The progress to date shows what is possible. We will keep going.”

Across the last year, significant gains have been achieved including:

• Endoscopy waits down 63% from the June 2022 peak (25,064 patients)
• Notable procedure reductions: Colonoscopy 98%, Tonsillectomy 81%, Paediatric Scope 76%
• Named procedures backlog down 70% (March–December 2025)
• 4-year+ inpatient/day case waits down 52% to December 2025 (10,335 patients)
• 4-year+ outpatient waits down 40% (March–November 2025)
• Regional theatre utilisation up to 86% and rising toward the 90% efficiency target

Under the Elective Care Framework the Department committed to:

• Carrying out more treatments and procedures
• Reducing long waits for appointments and operations
• Using theatres and facilities more efficiently
• Making care more consistent no matter where patients live
• Expanding alternative models and giving patients more choice