A weekend clinic at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast assessed around 123 adult patients awaiting spinal treatment. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt visited the event and met surgical, physiotherapy, nursing and administrative teams.

Nesbitt also spoke with patients during the visit, some of whom had waited over two years for assessment. The clinic provided streamlined reviews and treatment assessments to reduce waiting lists.

Nesbitt stated that the clinics function as one-stop shops for patients. He noted that the spinal clinic cuts overall waiting times by 11 weeks through co-located teams seeing more patients each day.

Patients assessed by the multidisciplinary team gained clarity on their next treatment steps. The model aims to lower waits for spinal and related orthopaedic procedures across Northern Ireland.

Professor Mark Taylor, Regional Clinical Director for Elective Care, said mega clinics form part of the strategy to address longer waiting lists. He indicated potential expansion to other specialties.