Department of Health NI

Department of Health NI News and information from the Health and Social Care Sector. Account maintained by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.

This page is monitored 9am-5pm, Mon to Fri. The Strategic Planning and Performance Group is responsible for planning, improving and overseeing the delivery of effective, high quality, safe, health and social care services. The Group is part of the Department of Health and accountable to the Minister for Health. We work in with the health and social care trusts, that directly provide servi

ces to people, to ensure that services meet people's needs. We deploy and manage an annual budget from the Northern Ireland Executive of approximately £4 billion, to ensure that all services are safe and sustainable.

19/08/2026

🏃 Athletes from Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland and Lady Mary Peters are encouraging the public to get active

🧾 It follows the publishing of the Physical Activity Guidelines for adults by the four UK Chief Medical officers

👉 Find out more here: gov.uk/government/news/new-uk-cmo-activity-guidelines-show-every-movement-counts

💊 The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Professor Catherine (Cathy) Harrison has written to newly qualified pharmacists.🤝 Pro...
17/08/2026

💊 The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Professor Catherine (Cathy) Harrison has written to newly qualified pharmacists.

🤝 Prof Harrison welcomed the new pharmacist independent prescribers and highlighted information that may be of use to them, or those who manage them.

🔗 health-ni.gov.uk/publications/letter-cpo-newly-qualified-pharmacists-august-2026

🗓️ This week in the Department:👁️ The Minister and Professor Mark Taylor heard about the work being done at Downe Hospit...
15/08/2026

🗓️ This week in the Department:

👁️ The Minister and Professor Mark Taylor heard about the work being done at Downe Hospital to reduce cataract waiting lists.

🤝 The Regional Cataract Service and patient Pamela explained how it was helping patients.

🧑‍⚕️ The Health Minister and Prof Taylor also visited adult and children's pre-operative teams at Ulster Hospital in South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust

📈 They heard about their work to maximise theatre use

🧠 The Mental Health Medical Records Team demonstrated their work in Subject Access Requests.

🧾 They explained how they handle patient requests for information.

🍽️ Minister Nesbitt also met some of the kitchen staff at the Downe Hospital.

🔗 More info: health-ni.gov.uk/news

13/08/2026

👏 The Health Minister has credited pre-operative assessment services with reducing surgical cancellations and helping theatre capacity.

🧑‍⚕️ Minister Nesbitt said "every available theatre slot matters" and praised the team at Ulster Hospital in South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust

🔗 health-ni.gov.uk/news/paediatric-pre-op-innovation-reducing-surgical-cancellations

11/08/2026

👀 The Health and Department of Finance Ministers have welcomed progress in the regional cataract service.

💷 Ministers Nesbitt and O'Dowd recognised that thousands more are getting access to sight-saving treatment after investment in services.

🔗 More info in Comments

10/08/2026

💃 The Health Minister visited the Fleadh for All Traditional Concert and Tea Dance, hosted by Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Arts Care NI, an Arts Council of Northern Ireland core-funded organisation.

🎻 Minister Nesbitt highlighted the benefit of the arts in enhancing the experience of patients and their families.

🔗 artscouncil-ni.org/news/arts-care-ni-deliver-the-magic-of-fleadh

💷 MDTs are being rolled out at Moyle Medical Centre after a £1.2m investment✅ Patients in Corran, Inver and Victoria Sur...
10/08/2026

💷 MDTs are being rolled out at Moyle Medical Centre after a £1.2m investment

✅ Patients in Corran, Inver and Victoria Surgeries can benefit from services such as Physiotherapy, Mental Health and Social Work within their GP practice

🔗 online.hscni.net/1-2m-investment-for-moyle-medical-centre/ Northern Health and Social Care Trust

🧑‍🎨 The Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, Prof Michelle Tennyson, attended the recent evening celebrating 50 yea...
10/08/2026

🧑‍🎨 The Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, Prof Michelle Tennyson, attended the recent evening celebrating 50 years of the Northern Ireland Group for Art Therapy (NIGAT), and 74 years of the Art Therapy profession in Northern Ireland.

🫶 The event brought together practitioners, supporters and guests to reflect on the contribution of Art Therapy and Art Psychotherapy to health and wellbeing and to recognise those who have helped shape and advance the profession across Northern Ireland.

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Department Of Health, Castle Buildings, Stormont
Belfast
BT43SQ

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