Senior surgeons from across the UK and Ireland have criticised political interference in plans for emergency general surgery (EGS) in Northern Ireland after the region's Health Minister resigned following a dispute over withdrawing the service from Causeway Hospital.
Surgeons say evidence must guide service changes
The statement, issued jointly by the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons and the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, warned that recent political developments risked delaying the implementation of a 2022 review that recommended providing EGS at fewer sites.
Damian McKay, a general and colorectal surgeon at the Ulster Hospital, said he spoke on behalf of the three surgical bodies and stressed that clinicians had felt compelled to step in when they believed political considerations were overriding patient safety.
"The key message should always be patient safety first and political votes second."
McKay also told BBC News NI there was a body of evidence regarding Causeway Hospital dating back to 2025 that, he said, supported the clinical case for reconfiguration. The surgeons' intervention follows a public disagreement between the former Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, and Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows about the withdrawal of EGS from the hospital.
Political fallout and new ministerial approach
Mike Nesbitt resigned after Mr Burrows told a town hall meeting he would not support removing the EGS service from Causeway Hospital, a stance Nesbitt said he only became aware of by "monitoring the media". The dispute precipitated the ministerial departure and has prompted scrutiny of how health service decisions are made in the region.
The new Health Minister, Robbie Butler, has said his decisions will be informed by "expert evidence opinion" as well as the "voices of the people" — signalling an intent to balance clinical advice with public concerns. Surgeons, however, emphasised that outcome-driven planning based on clinical evidence should take precedence.
- 2022: Independent review recommended EGS be provided at fewer sites in Northern Ireland.
- 2025: Surgeons say evidence concerning Causeway Hospital has been available since this year.
- Recent: Resignation of Health Minister Mike Nesbitt following public opposition from his party leader to EGS withdrawal at Causeway Hospital.
| Issue | Position |
|---|---|
| Clinical bodies | Support evidence-led reconfiguration to improve patient safety |
| Former minister | Resigned amid internal party disagreement over EGS plans |
| New minister | Promises to consider expert opinion and public views |
Clinicians argued that implementing the 2022 review remains urgent to ensure safe and sustainable EGS provision. They warned that continued political interference and public controversy could further delay changes designed to improve outcomes for patients requiring emergency general surgical care.
The row has highlighted tensions between expert clinical advice and local political sensitivities, particularly when proposed service consolidations are perceived as reducing access to care at specific hospitals. While politicians face pressure to respond to constituents' concerns about local services, surgical associations said the priority must remain on achieving the best possible health outcomes across the population.
Officials in the Department of Health in Northern Ireland have not published a detailed timetable for implementing the 2022 review. The incoming minister’s promise to weigh both expert analysis and community voices will be closely watched by clinicians and campaigners alike as the debate continues over how best to deliver emergency surgical services in the region.
