AQW 51180/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of children currently awaiting paediatric dental treatment requiring general anaesthetic, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.
Asked by Michelle Guy MLA on 7 September 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Priority
- Tabled
- 7 September 2026
- Answer due by
- 11 September 2026
- Answered
- 28 September 202621 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- Yes
Answer
All five HSC Trusts offer dental treatment under General Anaesthetic (GA) to children.
The number of children currently awaiting paediatric dental treatment requiring GA are shown in the table below. These figures have been obtained directly from the HSC Trusts.
| Trust | Number of Children waiting Assessment for GA | Number of Children on a Review Waiting List for GA | Number of Children on a Surgical Waiting List | Total |
| Southern Health and Social Care Trust | 13 | 0 | 266 | 279 |
| Belfast Health and Social Care Trust | 1143 | 104 | 66 | 1313 |
| Northern Health and Social Care Trust | 966 | 97 | 127 | 1190 |
| South-Eastern Health and Social Care Trust | 465 | 69 | 74 | 608 |
| Western Health and Social Care Trust | 99 | 0 | 107 | 206 |
| Total NI | 2686 | 270 | 640 | 3596 |
Children may be awaiting assessment, review, or placement on a surgical list before treatment under GA is undertaken. Figures therefore represent those within the paediatric GA pathway rather than solely those awaiting a theatre procedure.
GA is indicated in children for a number of reasons including young age, need for multiple extractions, disproportionate anxiety as well as those patients (children and adults) with additional needs who are unable to cope with invasive dental procedures otherwise.
Children with the most complex needs may be referred to the Regional Paediatric Consultant led service in Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
All patients placed on a waiting list are graded and prioritised based on clinical urgency following guidelines from the Federation of Surgical Specialities Association (FSSA). Patients can therefore be considered to be acute, urgent or routine.