To ask the Minister of Health to detail the proportion of the 2026-27 £80 million elective care funding that will be spent on gynaecology.

The £80 million elective care funding allocation for 2026-27 is intended to support activity across a range of specialties in line with my department’s priorities for reducing waiting times and improving access to care.

Gynaecology remains an important area of focus given the significant demand for services and the length of waiting times experienced by many women. Investment decisions will be informed by local delivery plans and the objective of maximising the number of patients who can be assessed and treated.

Consequently, it is not yet possible to provide a definitive figure for the proportion of the 2026-27 elective care funding that will be spent on gynaecology. Further details will be available once funding plans have been finalised and agreed with HSC Trusts.

In 2025/26, £4.9 million was invested to improve gynaecology services and reduce red flag waiting times. This funding has supported the expansion of clinical e-triage across all HSC Trusts, the introduction of direct-to-test services with increased sonography capacity, enhanced procedural nurse capacity to carry out hysteroscopy and colposcopy procedures, and the delivery of Phase 1 of a Northern Ireland Endometriosis Service.