New health plan includes ‘good deal’ on staff pay, Health Minister says

A new three-year plan for health and social care in Northern Ireland includes securing a “good deal” for staff pay in 2024/25, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said.

His strategic plan sets out a number of initiatives, including bringing forward a new obesity framework, implementing the Northern Ireland provisions in the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill and bringing forward proposals for minimum unit pricing for alcohol.

Launching the plan at the Assembly, Mr Nesbitt said it was based around the central themes of stabilisation, reform and delivery.

He said: “Since taking office, I have underlined the need to build hope for all those who deliver, use and rely on health and social care services.

“I believe this three-year plan will make a significant contribution by indicating my direction of travel to secure better outcomes for staff, patients, service users and the population at large.

“I am acutely aware of the intense pressures on staff and the serious shortfalls in provision across the system.

“Stabilisation was the only viable option for this year, given the budget and other resource and workforce restraints.”

He added: “The purpose of this plan, however, is not about what we cannot achieve – it is about improving the health and wellbeing of our population and making our health and social care services the best they can be. It is about hope and ambition.

“Of course, the pace of progress will be heavily influenced by future budget settlements and successful partnership working across the Executive.

“I believe that if we all work together, we can meaningfully improve population health, support people to live healthy lives and provide the conditions for services to thrive.”

Mr Nesbitt emphasised to MLAs that his commitment to stabilisation included securing a “good deal” on staff pay for 2024/25.

The three-year plan sets out a number of initiatives, including:

– Bringing forward a new obesity strategic framework for Northern Ireland;

– Implementing the NI provisions in the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill;

– Bringing forward proposals for minimum unit pricing for alcohol;

– Putting in place a new lung screening programme and an expanded bowel screening programme;

– Challenging health and social care trusts to deliver 46,000 additional outpatient assessments and 11,000 additional treatments annually by 2027;

– Publishing a plan by April 2025 for the completion of the multi-disciplinary team model for General Practice across all areas of Northern Ireland;

Mr Nesbitt will also advance proposals for an organisational duty of candour as well as considering proposals for an individual duty of candour.

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