Professor Bengoa chaired the expert panel that produced the report “Systems, Not Structures: Changing Health and Social Care” in 2016, calling for urgent transformation of the health service in Northern Ireland.

He was speaking at a conference today (9 October) at the La Mon hotel.

The East Antrim MLA has said: “It’s great to have Professor Bengoa back in Northern Ireland today addressing both politicians and healthcare professionals.

“We’re all aware of the urgent need to reform the Health Service in order to address waiting lists and relieve the enormous pressures that currently exist on the system, so that we can move more of our focus to prevention of illness rather than treatment.

“We need to see progress on hospital reconfiguration to be able deliver services in a more efficient and outcome-based manner. The original Bengoa report was published in 2016, and so we should be 8 years into a 10-year transformation plan by now, but clearly that hasn’t happened.

“The Assembly being collapsed for 5 out of those 8 years has severely impacted our ability to deliver these necessary changes. Reform of our political institutions and reform of our health service go hand in hand. To make the latter achievable, we need to ensure the political institutions remain stable, and that one party cannot prevent functioning government here.

“Too many people are suffering on endless waiting lists and overcrowding within our hospitals. It is our hope that today will be a turning point in delivering reform of our healthcare system, and giving the people of NI the services they need and deserve.”