To ask the Minister of Health for an update on any engagement with independent healthcare providers to reduce waiting lists, specifically around diagnosis and treatment.

Given the impact of COVID-19 on health service operating capacity, the HSC has secured theatre capacity during 2020/21 from the three local independent sector hospitals to treat the most urgent and time critical patients (i.e. those with confirmed or suspect cancer). These arrangements have allowed many hundreds of patients to be treated by HSC consultants in the private healthcare facilities - during the period 1 April 2020 to 14 February 2021, approximately 4,450 patients have had their procedures undertaken.

In addition, the HSC has secured capacity from a number of other IS healthcare providers both within Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland to provide assessments, diagnostics and treatments. Furthermore, a number of private healthcare providers are providing in-sourcing services whereby privately recruited teams of clinicians are providing services for HSC patients using available HSC infrastructure.

I have also established a regional approach to ensure that any available theatre capacity across Northern Ireland is allocated for those patients most in need of surgery as we come out of this surge. This approach will include seeking to fully maximise all available HSC and IS capacity.