Hospital waiting lists in Northern Ireland decreased across outpatient appointments, inpatient and day case admissions, and diagnostic tests in the quarter ending 31 December 2025. The Department of Health published the statistics showing 15,389 fewer patients waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, for a total of 527,062. Inpatient and day case lists fell by 7,316 patients to 84,329, while diagnostic waiting lists reduced by 6,673 to 220,999.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt identified reducing waiting lists as a key priority and noted the outpatient decline marks the first in recent years despite rising demand. He credited healthcare staff for efforts to increase capacity and productivity. Nesbitt stated that patients now receive appropriate treatment in suitable locations more quickly.

Nesbitt pointed to the Elective Care Framework as a factor in ongoing improvements, alongside modernised outpatient services, general practitioner integration for elective procedures, and digital care delivery methods. He recognised pressure on services and emphasised that further collaboration is required to enhance waiting times and patient outcomes.

In the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area, outpatient waits concentrated in ear, nose and throat, gynaecology, ophthalmology, general surgery, and dermatology specialties. Inpatient pressures appeared in orthopaedics, gastroenterology, general surgery, ophthalmology, and urology. The trust uses regional day case procedure centres to manage some elective procedures.

Regional director of the Royal College of Surgeons Niall McGonigle sought details on whether list reductions stemmed from higher surgical activity or validation processes. He noted surgeons face theatre access issues and staffing shortages.