A mega clinic at Musgrave Park Hospital in Belfast assessed 123 adult patients awaiting spinal treatment. The weekend event included surgical reviews and treatment assessments.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt visited the clinic. He met surgical, physiotherapy, nursing and administrative teams. Nesbitt discussed the assessment process with the teams.

Nesbitt also met patients. Some had waited over two years for assessment. The clinic used a multidisciplinary team approach.

Nesbitt described the clinics as one-stop shops to cut waiting lists. He said the spinal clinic reduces overall waiting times by 11 weeks. Co-located teams allow more patients to be seen each day.

Patients received information on their next treatment steps. The model reduces waits for spinal and related orthopaedic procedures in Northern Ireland.

Professor Mark Taylor, Regional Clinical Director for Elective Care, said mega clinics help address waiting lists. He indicated plans to expand the approach to other specialties.