Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has praised Belfast Health and Social Care Trust’s Validation Team during a visit to Belfast City Hospital.
The Minister recognised the team’s role in improving waiting list management and is encouraging patients to play their part by keeping their information up to date so appointments can be offered as quickly as possible.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “Improving access to assessment, diagnosis and treatment while making the best use of every available appointment is critical to reducing waits.
“That also means making sure our waiting lists are accurate, up to date and focused on patients who still need care. The Belfast Trust Validation Team plays a vital role in that work by helping ensure care is directed to those who need it most.
“Tackling waiting lists is a shared responsibility. I encourage everyone waiting for treatment to tell their Trust if their circumstances or contact details change, or if they no longer need treatment. I also encourage patients to use the My Care patient portal, where available, to stay informed about their care and appointments. I want to thank every member of the Validation Team for their professionalism, compassion and commitment. Your work makes a real difference to patients every day.”
The Minister also heard how the service has evolved by combining direct patient engagement with digital technology to improve communication, strengthen waiting list management and support delivery of the Elective Care Framework 2026.
Jenna Crawford, Co-Director Performance and Planning, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, said: “The Validation Team reviews outpatient, inpatient and day case waiting lists ensuring records are accurate and up to date. The team forms part of the wider work across Health and Social Care to improve waiting list management.
The Validation team contact patients to confirm they still wish to remain on the waiting list, validate their contact details, identify duplicate records and ensure waiting list information reflects patients’ current needs. This work supports patient safety, improves the quality of waiting list data and helps ensure available clinical capacity is directed to patients who need it most”.
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