The Health Minister said he was facing a £400 million funding shortfall, adding that making savings to balance the budget would have “consequences” for service delivery, including waiting lists.
Earlier this week, Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the situation facing the health service in Northern Ireland is “dire and diabolical”.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the health situation in Northern Ireland is ‘dire and diabolical’ (Liam McBurney/PA)
Ms O’Neill expressed concern at the scenes witnessed both inside and outside emergency departments in recent weeks, with patients facing long waits in the back of ambulances because of capacity issues.
The powersharing Executive at Stormont agreed a draft budget in December.
Publishing an equality impact assessment into the budget, Mr Nesbitt said it contained no additional funding for waiting list reduction initiatives.
Northern Ireland has the worst hospital waiting lists in the UK.
Mr Nesbitt said: “My department is projecting a funding gap of some £400 million for 2025/26.
“The HSC (health and social care) system will be asked to deliver in the region of £200 million in new savings for the second year running.
“Even then, it is anticipated that significant in-year monitoring round allocations will be required to achieve a break-even position.
“The assumption that savings on this scale are achievable is not without considerable risk.
“They will inevitably have consequences for service delivery, including waiting lists.”
The minister said it was the second successive year no money had been made available to tackle waiting lists.
He added: “This is despite waiting lists having been identified as a programme for government priority.”
Mr Nesbitt said MLAs had been “entirely justified in voicing deep concern” at current hospital pressures.
But he added: “Simply demanding unspecified action is not the answer.
“Nor is repeating vague mantras about ‘transformation’ while never really defining what this means – and simultaneously opposing actual proposed changes to hospital services.
“Unfortunately, the draft budget threatens to consign our health service to more of the same for the year ahead.”
Mr Nesbitt said this included struggling to maintain existing levels of provision and “firefighting” through recurrent service pressures.
He added: “I am deeply concerned that already unacceptable health outcomes here will fall further behind those of the rest of the UK.
“Improvements in productivity, efficiency and performance are more essential now than ever.
“I am sure members will join me in commending the trusts on the savings secured this year.
“However, the gap between demand and capacity is too wide to be bridged by productivity and efficiency.
“I again fully acknowledge the financial challenges facing other departments.
“I also accept that members will want to support the budget bids of their party colleagues who hold ministerial posts.
“But I would challenge the Assembly and Executive to honestly consider if they are truly prioritising health.”