Minister Nesbitt hails transformation progress at Causeway Hospital

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has praised Causeway Hospital for improving how care is being delivered through the transformation and modernisation of services.

Minister Nesbitt visited Causeway Hospital in Coleraine this week where he had the opportunity to see first-hand how high quality, patient-centred care is being delivered through a range of clinical pathways.

Welcoming the Minister’s visit, the Northern Trust’s Medical Director, Dr George Gardiner, said: “We will be celebrating Causeway Hospital’s 25th anniversary later this year so the Minister’s visit has been very timely. It has allowed us to highlight that our focus remains firmly on the future of Causeway Hospital, and our ambition to become an elective and diagnostic hub for the north west area.

“In line with this ambition, we have significantly invested in the Causeway Hospital site in recent years - including £1.8m for urgent and ambulatory care, £1.2m for solar energy and the newly installed state-of-the-art MRI scanner which represented an investment of approximately £2m.

“Alongside this capital investment, the Minister also had the opportunity to see how our teams are working hard to redesign pathways so that patients aren’t spending time in hospital unless they really need to. This ‘shift left’ approach is about earlier intervention, stronger community services and more joined-up care, all of which help people stay well and independent for longer.”

During his visit, the Health Minister heard how the introduction of new ambulatory areas is allowing more patients to be assessed, treated and discharged on the same day when appropriate, or scheduled for a planned appointment within a few days.

Since opening in 2024, the unit has treated around 400 patients each month, far exceeding its target of 160 patients a month. Owing to this success, the Minister heard how the service has now expanded its footprint, enabling even more patients to benefit.

The Health Minister praised staff at the hospital for advancing the ‘shift left’ agenda, saying: “It’s encouraging to see the progress being made at Causeway Hospital as part of the Reform North programme. By shifting care upstream and providing timely assessment and treatment without the need for hospital admission, we can enhance the overall experience for patients, while also making better use of the limited resources we have available.

“The numbers speak for themselves – we are seeing tangible results, and I want to acknowledge the progress that has been made. I commend all the staff involved in this important work and thank them for all that they are doing to improve outcomes for their patients.”

Lynne McCartney, Interim Director for Surgery and Clinical Services with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, said: “Improving patient care and outcomes is central to everything that we do and we were very pleased to have the Minister visit Causeway Hospital and see for himself, the innovative and transformative work that has been undertaken.

“Our staff work tirelessly all year round to provide the highest quality of care they can to our patients, service users and wider community and this was clearly recognised by the Minister.”