Health Minister Mike Nesbitt sets out primary care expansion plans
Planned investment in primary care will create hundreds of thousands of additional patient appointments in Northern Ireland, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said.
The expansion of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Programme will also help stabilise GP services.
The Minister today published an implementation plan for the MDT Programme
A long-term health reform initiative, the MDT model introduces new physiotherapy, social work and mental health roles into general practice to work alongside the existing practice teams. It will help shift services towards supporting good health and social wellbeing.
The Minister said: “We can see that the MDT programme is making a significant difference.
“In the areas it has already been rolled out to, it delivered an additional 335,000 patient consultations in 2024-25.
“We can double that appointments total over the next four years and then push it up to the million mark within eight years. That ambitious projection is included in the implementation plan.
“The MDT programme also involves a range of localised programmes with the Community and Voluntary Sector. During 2024-25 this enabled over 400 local projects, supporting more than 17,000 patients.
“The implementation plan also sets out compelling evidence that the MDT programme helps stabilise pressurised GP services and reduce referrals to hospitals.
“Progress on implementing the MDT model has been constrained by funding and staff availability. However, this year I have been able to secure £61m of Executive transformation funding to push ahead with expansion.”
Mr Nesbitt added: “I know GPs are frustrated at the current serious pressures and the budget shortfall across health and social care this year.
“But I can assure them that I am determined to deliver on a neighbourhood centred system of health and social care. I want to involve and empower GPs at every step of this process.
“As part of that, I would again encourage the BMA’s GP leadership to take up my offer of detailed talks on a new GP contract for next year.
“The fact that available funding this year falls far short of all our requirements should not stop us working together on longer-term solutions.
“My focus on successfully expanding the MDT programme is proof of my commitment to expanding primary care overall.
“We need to deliver more services closer to communities and help people stay well. The contribution of GPs is central to that.”
The MDT programme is currently complete or in development in the Down, Derry, West Belfast, Causeway, Newry, Ards and North Down GP Federation areas.
“The £61m Executive transformation funding will enable it to be expanded to a further five areas: North Belfast, South West (Fermanagh/ West Tyrone) and East Antrim, Craigavon, and Armagh and Dungannon.
