Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has welcomed major progress in reducing endoscopy waiting lists now at their lowest point since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is a very positive milestone for patients and for our Health and Social Care Service. Through targeted investment, regional endoscopy centres, and the flexible capacity set out in the Elective Care Framework, we are seeing real, tangible improvements. I want to thank the staff and partners who have helped deliver this progress. We will continue to build on this momentum to ensure timely access to care for all.”

Endoscopy waits, which reached their highest recorded level in June 2022, have now fallen by 62% — a reduction of 24,410 patients — as of October 2025 (based on management information including unverified Epic data). The number of patients waiting is now below the March 2019 position and significantly lower than pre-COVID levels.

This improvement has been driven by the operation of two dedicated regional endoscopy centres at Lagan Valley Hospital and Omagh Hospital, which have treated 17,025 patients to date.

Additional support through the independent-sector insourcing has also helped Trusts manage demand and reduce delays. Work is now underway to recurrently invest funding so this activity can increasingly be delivered within core hours, in line with the Elective Care Framework: Implementation and Funding Plan.