To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) his Department's priority list of capital projects; and (ii) whether that priority list is based on patient outcome.

The constrained financial position facing the Department of Health (DoH) means that priority in the short to medium term is afforded to those projects which have already started, or which have made significant progress through the approvals process and are considered inescapable. All capital projects funded by DoH are expected to contribute to the aims and objectives of the department with the overall mission being to improve the health and social well-being of the people of Northern Ireland.

Below is the list of the DoH capital projects that are either in implementation, there is some form of a contractual commitment or are required for the ongoing functioning of Health & Social Care (HSC) services.

New Maternity Hospital, Royal Group of Hospitals (RGH)

New Children's Hospital, RGH

Site Infrastructure Works, RGH

NIFRS Learning and Development Centre

Strabane Health and Care Centre (City Deal)

Altnagelvin Medical Education, Inclusive Futures Funding (IFF)

WHSCT R&D Expansion (IFF)

Glenmona Replacement Intensive Support Unit

Regional Haematology Treatment Ward

Midwifery Led Unit - Antrim Area Hospital

Antrim Area Hospital Electrical Infrastructure

Daisy Hill Hospital Low Voltage Works

Lisnaskea Health Care Centre

Congenital Heart Disease Professorship Academic Programme

Managed Equipment Service (MES) Contract

McCloud Pension System

Encompass

Northern Ireland Laboratory Information Management System (NILIMS)

Northern Ireland Picture Archiving and Communications System Replacement (NIPACS+) - BSO

BloodPat

Equip

Digital Identity Service

General Medical Services ICT

Vision Migration of GP practices

Cushendall Fire Station

Fintona Fire Station

Altnagelvin Paediatrics Unit

Newry Community Care and Treatment Centre

Cityside Health and Care Centre

Regional Radio-pharmacy Facility

Glenmona Separated Minors Unit

Imaging Academy

Mother and Baby Unit (Peri-Natal Mental Health)

Craigavon Area Hospital Redevelopment- Initial Phase

Antrim Area Hospital Mental Health Inpatient Unit

South Eastern Mental Health Unit

Centre for Mental Health, Omagh

Altnagelvin Emergency Department

In addition to these specific projects, a significant proportion of the capital programme relates to maintaining existing services. Included in this category is the ongoing need to invest in medical equipment, the HSC and Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service fleet, ICT, smaller estates schemes and backlog maintenance. This also includes HSC R&D, ongoing investment in GP practices through the GP Improvement Scheme and to facilitate the rollout of Multi-Disciplinary Teams. This category of expenditure is deemed as inescapable given its importance in maintaining service delivery and managing risks to infrastructure failure.

Although capital investment within DoH is diverse in nature, almost all of these projects have been proposed and progressed as they are expected to contribute to improving the supporting infrastructure which results in improved public health, patient outcomes or public safety.