Three-year health plan includes 'good deal' on staff pay

Securing a "good deal" on staff pay for 2024/25 is among the health minister's new three-year strategic plan for health and social care in Northern Ireland.

Mike Nesbitt also told the assembly that a consultation will lay out the Department of Health's proposals to make the Serious Adverse Incident process fit for purpose.

The plan involves a range of initiatives based around stabilising, reforming and delivering services, but lacks detail on how it will be paid for.

The minister said the pace of progress would be heavily influenced by future budget settlements and "successful partnership" with the Executive.

The plan will also look at tackling obesity and advance proposals for an organisational duty of candour, as well as considering proposals for an individual duty of candour.

Nesbitt said he believed the plan would make a significant contribution as it indicates his direction of travel to secure better outcomes for staff, patients and service users.

"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.

"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," the minister added.

The three-year plan sets out a series of initiatives to improve the health care system, including: