To ask the Minister of Health to detail how many and what percentage of (i) children; and (ii) adults, in Northern Ireland with cystic fibrosis saw (a) a clinical psychologist; and (b) a social worker at their annual review, for each year since 2015.

My Department does not routinely collect figures on the number of patients with cystic fibrosis who see a clinical psychologist or social worker at their annual review; therefore, the information in this response has been provided by the Belfast Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust who are responsible for the service.

Part a:

To obtain figures for the number and percentage of children and adults who saw a clinical psychologist at their annual review since 2015 is not available as it would require a manual trawl of patient files.

Part b:

To provide the numbers and percentage of children who saw a social worker at their annual review each year from 2015 to August 2020 would require a manual trawl of files at disproportionate cost.

Between 1 September 2020 to 31 March 2021, 71 (33%) children with cystic fibrosis were seen by a hospital social worker at their annual review. For year ending 31 March 2022, 106 (53%) children with cystic fibrosis were seen by a hospital social worker.

Figures for the number and percentage of adults who had a social worker at their annual review each year since 2015 would require a manual trawl of a significant number of patient files at disproportionate cost.