Northern Ireland's Health Minister has announced a £1.95 million first-phase investment in endometriosis services, aimed at improving access and cutting waiting times for patients across the region.

Health Minister Robbie Butler announced the funding on Monday 2 November 2026 during a visit to the Regional Endometriosis Centre at Belfast City Hospital. Of the total, £700,000 will go to the two Regional Endometriosis Centres in the Belfast and Western trusts, while £1.25 million will be shared equally across the five Health and Social Care Trusts to strengthen local services and put a new Regional Endometriosis Pathway into practice.

Robotic surgery and waiting lists

The announcement highlighted progress in complex surgery: 130 patients needing complex procedures have had robotic-assisted surgery since the Da Vinci 5 platform launched in May 2026. Officials also pointed to falling outpatient waiting lists, down from 54,770 in September 2025 to 47,318 in September 2026, and a 56% fall in patients waiting more than a year for inpatient or day-case treatment.

Endometriosis is a long-term condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body, often causing severe pain. The new pathway is intended to give patients more consistent care closer to home, rather than relying so heavily on the two regional centres. The minister's announcement does not by itself clear the remaining waiting lists, and the funding is described as phase one, so further phases would be needed to judge its full effect.

Sources: Department of Health Northern Ireland, £1.95m investment in endometriosis services, 2 November 2026; Belfast Telegraph.