Lagan Valley Hospital to be an Elective Center

March 20, 2019

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s cross-party Health Working Group meets with South Eastern Trust officials on a regular basis as part of a working partnership.

The implementation of ‘The Health and Wellbeing 2016: Delivering Together’ strategy was discussed at the recent meeting.

As part of this government strategy, designed to bring huge reforms to the delivery of health provision, the Trust informed the council how it plans to create Elective Care Centres and Assessment and Treatment Centres.

The Council was pleased to hear that Lagan Valley Hospital has been selected to trial the prototype varicose veins surgeries.

Speaking about the news, Cllr Nathan Anderson, Chairman of the Health Working Group said: “To have one of our local hospitals chosen to be part of this trial to improve healthcare delivery is great news. We look forward to hearing how the trial will progress over time as Lagan Valley Hospital has the necessary theatre availability, skills and capacity to succeed.

“In the autumn there will be a public consultation on the proposed Elective Care Centres.  I would encourage everyone in the Trust area to participate so that valuable information can be gathered to determine the future of such surgeries.”

Elective Care Centres offer enhanced patient outcomes, greater efficiency, more timely access to services, a predictable workload and better surgical training.

Omagh Hospital will also trial varicose vein surgeries; and cataract surgeries will be trailed in Downe, Mid Ulster and South Tyrone hospitals.

Cllr Anderson added: “Following this initial trial and public consultation further prototypes will be rolled out to include general surgery, urology, ENT, orthopaedics and endoscopy. We look forward to hearing if our local Trust will gain some of these services.”