Care Services to receive major cash boost

Primary and Community Care Services in Northern Ireland are to be transformed with a major £5.8million government investment.

Speaking earlier, Health Minister Shaun Woodward said this initial investment was just the start of a wider investment programme of some £548 million over the next 10 years.

The plans, which are part of the Developing Better Services strategy, aim to see the building of over 40 Health and Care Centres and a number of facilities to help care for the elderly and people with special needs including mental health problems or learning disabilities.

The new services will ensure that the best medical staff will be on hand to provide the best possible care in a local surrounding, without patients having to go to hospital.

Announcing the proposals, the Health Minister said: "This initial investment of £5.8 million will be spread across the primary and community sector to kick start this huge and important programme.

"This money will be used to do initial design work and establish dedicated teams to take forward this unprecedented programme of work. We envisage a network of 42 major Health and Care Centres, along with a range of other primary and community care facilities, including specialist facilities for people with a mental health problem or a learning disability."

Mr Woodward continued: "This much needed investment will ensure health services are delivered in a modern comfortable environment close to people's homes and within local communities."

The Minister concluded by saying that the government would consider the opinion of patients, clients, GPs, community nurses, social workers and other key stakeholders, to ensure that the new facilities are designed in a way that will ensure the provision of locally based services, delivered by specialist and highly trained medical staff, well into the future.

(EF/SP)