Health leaders support ambitious reset plan and commit to a one-system approach

Members of the NI Confederation for Health and Social Care (NICON) have expressed support for the ambitious plan published today by Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, to reset health and social care in Northern Ireland.

The plan seeks to address the £600M deficit in the Health and Social Care (HSC) budget, while continuing the task of stabilisation and reform. HSC leaders believe that this plan, which will result in a significant reset for the future, offers a challenging, but workable approach. 

Specifically, NICON members welcome the focus on working more closely with the public in a new neighbourhood approach; on capitalising on digital investment; and on driving income generation through innovation and research. 

NICON Spokesperson, Professor Mark Taylor, commented: “A crucial element to supporting delivery of this ambitious plan will be building a one-system approach. HSC leaders have been working intensively to create stronger mechanisms for system working. Key priorities will include accessing system efficiencies, reducing unwarranted clinical variation, and embedding these new ways of working to deliver a more collaborative culture. 

“There are no overnight fixes, especially in the face of ever-growing demand, but this plan sets out a credible and pragmatic, if challenging, way forward.”

NICON Spokesperson, Professor Mark Taylor, is available for interview. Please direct any media enquiries to Robyn Scott, NICON Policy & Communications Manager, on 074 8530 3672 or robyn.scott@niconfedhss.org. 

Notes to editors:

• The Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care (NICON) is the voice of the organisations working across Northern Ireland’s integrated Health and Social Care (HSC) system. Part of the wider NHS Confederation, which also works in England and Wales, NICON is the only membership body for all HSC organisations in NI.
• NICON also offers an Associate Membership Scheme open to public, commercial, and not-for-profit organisations working in the health and social care space in NI.
• NICON holds an annual conference and exhibition, which is the premier event for HSC leaders in NI and attended by hundreds of delegates. The NICON 2025 conference and exhibition will take place on 15 and 16 October in the La Mon Hotel Belfast.
• For our 2024 conference, we worked with our members to identify a series of policy priorities or ‘nettles’ that must be grasped to drive progress within health and social care in Northern Ireland. These nettles will continue to be a focus for NICON throughout 2025 and a summary of them can be viewed here.
• To learn more about NICON, visit www.nhsconfed.org/nicon.

About us

We are the membership organisation that brings together, supports and speaks for the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The members we represent employ 1.5 million staff, care for more than 1 million patients a day and control £150 billion of public expenditure. We promote collaboration and partnership working as the key to improving population health, delivering high-quality care and reducing health inequalities.