To ask the Minister of Health for an update on any staffing shortages in haematology, in each Health and Social Care Trust.

Haematology services across all Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts continue to experience workforce pressures, although the extent can vary across the region. All services are managing varying degrees of workforce-related vulnerability and resilience challenges. These pressures reflect the challenges associated with recruiting and retaining staff within a highly specialised service and are consistent with wider workforce challenges experienced across the UK and Ireland.

Belfast HSC Trust also provides a number of regional specialist haematology services and, as with other Trusts, continues to manage workforce pressures alongside increasing demand for services.

My Department, Trusts and clinical leaders are working together through a regional haematology pressures group to support service resilience and workforce sustainability. The group has developed an action plan focused on a range of measures including workforce planning, recruitment and retention, succession planning, multidisciplinary team development, business continuity arrangements and regional service improvement initiatives.

My Department will continue to work closely with HSC Trusts and clinical leaders to support the delivery of safe, effective and sustainable haematology services for patients across Northern Ireland.