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Stormont statement

31 Jan 2024

The Royal College of Surgeons of England Northern Ireland Director Niall McGonigle has welcomed news that the DUP have agreed a deal with the UK government and are set to return to Stormont’s power-sharing Executive.

“Stability, local leadership and a recurring budget is essential if we are to turn the tide on NI’s devastating waiting lists. This deal also means NI is in line to receive a financial package including £34 million for waiting lists. With this money we hope the Department of Health will create more chances for surgeons to operate on patients at protected surgical hub sites. A sustained Stormont arrangement will also help to refocus hearts and minds on the burning workforce issue that is threatening to destabilise so many health care services, especially surgery. 

"Last week an RCS census told us that 66% of surgeons from NI are burnt out and stressed out and 91% aged 55-64 are planning to leave the health service in the next four years. There is no doubt we have a workforce retention and recruitment crisis and so with a Health Minister back at Stormont imminently, this is good news for everyone.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

  1.  Progress report on five-year Elective Care Framework published 6 July 2023: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/progress-report-five-year-elective-care-framework
  2. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is a professional membership organisation and is represented in Northern Ireland by a Professional Board of over 20 surgeons reflecting the specialty areas of: Neurosurgery, ENT, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Plastics, Urology, Vascular, Cardiothoracic and OMFS.
  3. The Board includes 10 elected regional specialty advisors, Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT), QUB & UU Medical School Surgical Societies, NIMDTA Head of the School of Surgery, SAS doctors and an RCS England Council member. The purpose of the Board is to improve surgical outcomes for patients, advocate locally and support the dissemination of good practice and professional guidance.
  4. Recent NI College publications include surgical manifesto for the NI 2022 assembly elections and the Action Plan for the Recovery of Elective Surgery 10 Steps Not 10 Years.
  5. For more information, please contact pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk.

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