Zarah ChoudharyNorthern Ireland Minister of Health Mike Nesbitt has announced a public consultation on a Being Open Framework, aimed at fostering greater transparency and accountability in health and social care workplaces.
The initiative seeks to empower organisations and staff to act with candour and openness, with proposals also including reforms to the Serious Adverse Incident process and the introduction of organisational and individual duties of candour.
Nesbitt said: “This will include a consultation early in the New Year on our proposals to make the Serious Adverse Incident process fit for purpose.
“The Minister will also advance proposals for an organizational duty of candour as well as considering proposals for an individual duty of candour.”
The framework is part of a three-year strategic plan aimed at addressing systemic challenges within the health and social care sector.
Nesbitt highlighted the intense pressures on staff and outlined workforce stabilisation as a key focus.
He added: “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 plan includes measures to secure a “good deal” on staff pay for 2024/25 and efforts to implement the Multi-Disciplinary Team model for General Practice across Northern Ireland by April 2025.
Additionally, reforms are planned to make the independent adult social care sector a Real Living Wage sector and to introduce regionally consistent contracts for care home placements.
As part of the initiative, Health and Social Care Trusts have been tasked with delivering 46,000 additional outpatient assessments and 11,000 additional treatments annually by 2027.
Nesbitt noted that the pace of progress would depend on future budget settlements and collaboration across the Executive.
Nesbitt said: “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.”
