Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has published an implementation plan for the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) Programme, aiming to significantly expand patient appointments and stabilise GP services across Northern Ireland.

The MDT model, a long-term health reform initiative, integrates new physiotherapy, social work, and mental health roles into general practice teams, shifting services towards supporting overall health and social wellbeing.

Minister Nesbitt highlighted the programme's proven impact, stating: "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."

He outlined ambitious projections, aiming to double this appointments total over the next four years and reach the million mark within eight years. The Minister also noted that the MDT programme's localised initiatives with the Community and Voluntary Sector enabled over 400 local projects in 2024-25, supporting more than 17,000 patients.

The implementation plan provides compelling evidence that the MDT programme helps to stabilise pressurised GP services and reduce hospital referrals. Despite past constraints due to funding and staff availability, Minister Nesbitt announced that he has secured £61 million of Executive transformation funding to advance the expansion. This funding will extend the programme to five additional areas: North Belfast, South West (Fermanagh/West Tyrone), East Antrim, Craigavon, and Armagh and Dungannon. While acknowledging current budget shortfalls and pressures on GPs, Mr Nesbitt reiterated his commitment to a neighbourhood-centred health system and encouraged the BMA’s GP leadership to engage in talks for a new GP contract for next year. All GP Federation areas in Northern Ireland are projected to see MDT implementation commence within the next five years, with full roll-out expected within approximately eight years.