AQW 42791/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the number of people who are on inpatient waiting lists for (a) cataract surgery; and (b) Posterior Capsule Opacification treated by Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet laser capsulotomy, in each Heath and Social Care Trust, and (ii) the number of these surgeries or treatments that have been carried out in each quarter of the last five years, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.
Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 19 March 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 19 March 2026
- Answer due by
- 3 April 2026
- Answered
- 10 June 202683 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) and Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) are the two provider Trusts of Ophthalmic Services on behalf of the region.
In BHSCT the number of people who are on inpatient waiting lists for (a) cataract surgery is 2789 patients and (b) 615 awaiting an outpatient procedure for Posterior Capsule Opacification treated by Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet laser capsulotomy.
In the WHSCT there are currently 1,064 on the cataract surgical inpatient waiting list and 145 awaiting an outpatient procedure for Posterior Capsule Opacification treated by Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet laser capsulotomy.
The number of cataract surgeries performed in Health and Social Care Trust hospitals in Northern Ireland in each quarter of the last five years, from 2020/21 to 2024/25 are tabled below.
| Year | Quarter | Health and Social Care Trust | ||||
| Belfast | Northern | South Eastern | Southern | Western | ||
| 2020/21 | QE Jun 20 | 250 | 8 | 79 | 0 | 40 |
| 2020/21 | QE Sep 20 | 179 | 212 | 374 | 158 | 225 |
| 2020/21 | QE Dec 20 | 187 | 73 | 521 | 153 | 250 |
| 2020/21 | QE Mar 21 | 184 | 0 | 99 | 155 | 110 |
| 2021/22 | QE Jun 21 | 257 | 266 | 623 | 333 | 267 |
| 2021/22 | QE Sep 21 | 187 | 110 | 538 | 160 | 192 |
| 2021/22 | QE Dec 21 | 150 | 36 | 612 | 286 | 386 |
| 2021/22 | QE Mar 22 | 204 | 263 | 533 | 346 | 420 |
| 2022/23 | QE Jun 22 | 233 | 348 | 711 | 433 | 383 |
| 2022/23 | QE Sep 22 | 284 | 323 | 679 | 403 | 351 |
| 2022/23 | QE Dec 22 | 276 | 413 | 640 | 454 | 227 |
| 2022/23 | QE Mar 23 | 341 | 358 | 474 | 413 | 225 |
| 2023/24 | QE Jun 23 | 274 | 371 | 541 | 381 | 283 |
| 2023/24 | QE Sep 23 | 260 | 337 | 531 | 383 | 254 |
| 2023/24 | QE Dec 23 | 287 | 443 | 527 | 433 | 274 |
| 2023/24 | QE Mar 24 | 407 | 463 | 602 | 467 | 265 |
| 2024/25 | QE Jun 24 | 330 | 446 | 488 | 329 | 378 |
| 2024/25 | QE Sep 24 | 156 | 458 | 487 | 325 | 442 |
| 2024/25 | QE Dec 24 | 241 | 317 | 634 | 342 | 429 |
| 2024/25 | QE Mar 25 | 174 | 382 | 660 | 241 | 364 |
Source: Hospital Inpatient System, Hospital Activity Information Branch, Information & Analysis Directorate, Department of Health, NI.
The number of patients with Posterior Capsule Opacification treated by Yttrium-Aluminium-Garnet (YAG) Laser Capsulotomy in Health and Social Care Hospitals in Northern Ireland in each quarter from 2020/21 to 2024/25 is tabled below.
| Year | Quarter | Health Trust | |
| Belfast | Western | ||
| 2020/21 | QE Jun 20 | 4 | 4 |
| 2020/21 | QE Sep 20 | 105 | 4 |
| 2020/21 | QE Dec 20 | 120 | 4 |
| 2020/21 | QE Mar 21 | 132 | 2 |
| 2021/22 | QE Jun 21 | 121 | 5 |
| 2021/22 | QE Sep 21 | 126 | 7 |
| 2021/22 | QE Dec 21 | 110 | 6 |
| 2021/22 | QE Mar 22 | 141 | 12 |
| 2022/23 | QE Jun 22 | 96 | 13 |
| 2022/23 | QE Sep 22 | 71 | 9 |
| 2022/23 | QE Dec 22 | 108 | 11 |
| 2022/23 | QE Mar 23 | 150 | 17 |
| 2023/24 | QE Jun 23 | 79 | 14 |
| 2023/24 | QE Sep 23 | 116 | 0 |
| 2023/24 | QE Dec 23 | 104 | 1 |
| 2023/24 | QE Mar 24 | 234 | 0 |
| 2024/25 | QE Jun 24 | 218 | 9 |
| 2024/25 | QE Sep 24 | 3 | 9 |
| 2024/25 | QE Dec 24 | 65 | 0 |
| 2024/25 | QE Mar 25 | 1 | 1 |
Source: Hospital Inpatient System, Hospital Activity Information Branch, Information & Analysis Directorate, Department of Health, NI.