Surgeons respond to latest waiting times data in Northern Ireland

Surgeons say the latest waiting times data in Northern Ireland show welcome progress, but transparency is needed on whether increased surgical activity is driving these reductions. 

A total of 84,329 patients were waiting for inpatient or day case admission to hospitals on 31 December 2025. This was an 8% reduction in the numbers waiting as of 30 September 2025, amounting to over 7,000 fewer patients.   

Nearly two-thirds (65.1%) of patients were waiting more than 13 weeks for admission, a decrease from 68.1% on 30 September 2025. The target of 55% seen within 13 weeks has not been met.   

In the same period, over one third (38.1%) of patients waited over 52 weeks for admission. This was a decrease of 3.5%, but still far from meeting the target that no patient should wait beyond 52 weeks. 

Surgeons in Northern Ireland say it is vital that the Department of Health (DoH) clarifies what is driving the reductions shown in today’s figures.  

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is calling for transparency about whether improvements reflect genuine increases in surgical activity or administrative changes, so that patients and staff can see where progress is being made and where further investment is needed.  

Commenting on the data, Mr Niall McGonigle, Northern Ireland Director of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:  

“Today’s figures show a welcome shift in how long patients have been waiting, but the truth is that many people are still waiting far too long for care. We want to see continued and sustained improvements in waiting times, but our members are concerned that some of the improvements are related to the validation of lists instead of increased activity.  

“Surgeons are telling us that in some cases they are being asked to undertake difficult ‘compassionate validation’ conversations with patients who have waited so long that surgery may no longer offer meaningful benefit. No clinician wants to be in that position.

“Half of surgeons face major barriers accessing theatres, more than half work in understaffed departments, and teams are stretched to their limits. The reality is that Northern Ireland cannot fix waiting times without serious investment in both staff and space to operate. Surgical hubs have already shown they can cut waits - expanding them, and ensuring they are properly staffed, would allow us to carry out more operations and get patients treated faster.”  

These pressures are reflected in RCS England’s 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census, which shows: 

• 62.1% of respondents in Northern Ireland reported burnout. 

• 56.8% said their departments were understaffed.

• Half of surgeons (50.5%) faced major barriers accessing operating theatres.

• Over a third (34.1%) frequently worked more than their contracted hours, often due to increasing administrative demands (73.7%).

• 29.8% were unable to take all their annual leave, mostly because of staff shortages. 

Further findings from the 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census are available here: 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census — Royal College of Surgeons 

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Today’s data reflects activity across inpatient & day case, outpatient and diagnostics from 1 October 2025 to 31 December 2025. See details here: Hospital waiting times statistics | Department of Health
2. The draft waiting times target states that 55% of patients should wait no longer than 13 weeks for inpatient/day case treatment; with no patient waiting longer than 52 weeks. The target is included here: Northern Ireland Inpatient and Day Case Waiting Time Statistics
3. Encompass, the new electronic patient record system, has been rolling out across Health and Social Care Trusts since November 2023. The DoH advises that figures sourced from encompass are considered to be ‘official statistics in development’, and caution must be exercised when using these figures. They are not directly comparable with legacy (pre-encompass) data but are a meaningful representation of what they measure and are of sufficient quality for publication and use.
4. Advancing the Surgical Workforce: 2025 UK Surgical Workforce Census Report -  rcseng.ac.uk/-/media/Files/RCS/Standards-and-research/2025-UK-Surgical-Workforce-Census.pdf
5. The surgical hub model in Northern Ireland has been implemented through a combination of Elective Overnight Stay Centres (EOSCs) and Day Procedure Centres (DPCs). 
6. The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams, at all stages of their career. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research, and championing the best outcomes for patients.
7. A Professional Board of over 20 surgeons represents RCS England in Northern Ireland. They reflect the specialty areas of neurosurgery, ENT, paediatrics, general surgery, trauma and orthopaedics, plastics, urology, vascular, cardiothoracic and OMFS. The Board also includes the Association of Surgeons in Training (ASiT), QUB & UU Medical School Surgical Society, NIMDTA Head of the School of Surgery, SAS doctors and an RCS England Council member.
8. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054/6060; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk.  For out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.