Latest releases
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66 releases
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Butler: New GP contract will deliver better access for patients
Health Minister Robbie Butler welcomes the conclusion of GP contract negotiations with the NI General Practitioners Committee, including £17.384million for 2026/27 and an extra £40m over two years to improve patient access. He says NIGPC has committed to easier access and to the Neighbourhood…
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Butler: New GP contract will deliver better access for patients (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Butler Announces £1.95m Investment in Endometriosis Services
Health Minister Robbie Butler announces £1.95 million for endometriosis care, with £700,000 for the regional centres in the Belfast and Western Trusts and £1.25 million across all five trusts to support a new regional pathway.
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Butler Announces £1.95m Investment in Endometriosis Services (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Butler announces major expansion of bowel cancer screening programme
UUP Health Minister Robbie Butler announces a phased widening of bowel cancer screening invitations, starting with those aged 59 from 2 November 2026, 58-year-olds from April 2027, and full eligibility for ages 50 to 74 by 2031.
Health Original release: Butler announces major expansion of bowel cancer screening programme (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister announces Support While Waiting Grant Scheme
UUP reports Health Minister Robbie Butler has announced £500,000 to extend the Support While Waiting Grant Scheme for another year, funding voluntary groups to offer free support to people on HSCNI waiting lists. Applications open 25 September 2026 and close 6 November 2026.
Health Original release: Health Minister announces Support While Waiting Grant Scheme (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Paul Lawless Launches Mayo Bones Bus to Help Orthopaedic Patients Access Treatment
Aontú TD Paul Lawless announces the Mayo Bones Bus, an initiative to help people with hip, knee and other bone or joint conditions obtain information on cross-border treatment options amid long orthopaedic waiting lists. It follows his Mayo Cataract Bus, with an information session planned in…
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Health Minister announces £1.25million for community cancer support
Health Minister Robbie Butler announces a £1.25million second-year Cancer Charities Grant Scheme with Macmillan Cancer Support, funding community wellbeing, rehabilitation, transport and practical support for people affected by cancer.
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Health Minister announces £1.25million for community cancer support (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister highlights gynaecology care closer to home
Health Minister Robbie Butler highlights primary care gynaecology services, including HRT, heavy menstrual bleeding, LARC and pessary replacement, that avoid hospital referral, after visiting Lisnaskea Primary Care Centre. He says the model is reform in practice and cites around 650 patients…
Health Original release: Health Minister highlights gynaecology care closer to home (opens in a new tab)
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Expert committee announced to provide advice on major HSC service changes
The UUP says the Health Minister, Robbie Butler, has published the Hospitals consultation outcomes and will set up an independent reconfiguration committee to advise on major or controversial service changes, with its advice published. The party reports that hospital categorisation proposals will…
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Robbie Butler MLA appointed Minister of Health
UUP Leader Jon Burrows MLA says he has nominated Robbie Butler MLA to become Northern Ireland’s next Minister of Health, pledging full confidence and urging swift, patient‑focused reforms to improve access to care.
Health Original release: Robbie Butler MLA appointed Minister of Health (opens in a new tab)
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Baby Loss Certificates a compassionate step forward for grieving…
South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe welcomes the completion of the final legislative stage for baby loss certificates, which open for applications in June, giving formal recognition to parents who lose a baby before 24 weeks.
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Baby loss certificate will enable parents and families to have loss formally acknowledged – Dolan
Sinn Féin MLA Jemma Dolan says the baby loss certificate regulations, coming into effect in June, will let parents and families have their loss formally acknowledged. She commends the Finance Minister and department for bringing the scheme forward.
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Health Minister welcomes additional £100m Transformation and National Lottery funding
UUP Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcomes over £100m in Public Service Transformation Bid funding, including £42m for an ePharmacy programme to replace paper prescriptions and £29.2m for Together for Families, plus £30m from the National Lottery Community Fund.
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Health Minister welcomes additional £100m Transformation and National Lottery funding (opens in a new tab)
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De Faoite secures commitment to recognise contribution of women to Belfast
SDLP's De Faoite says he has secured a commitment to recognise the contribution of women to Belfast. The release gives no further detail on the form or timing of the recognition.
Disability and equality Original release: De Faoite secures commitment to recognise contribution of women to Belfast (opens in a new tab)
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Lyons hails 17% increase in social home building
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announces a 17% year-on-year rise in new social home starts in 2025/26, to 1,765, credited to a £210 million building programme and the largest-ever Social Housing Development Programme investment. He says more work remains and points to reviews of grant rates…
Housing Public finance and taxation Original release: Lyons hails 17% increase in social home building (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces changes to areas of childcare regulation
UUP's Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces he has approved changes to childcare regulation after consultation, limiting GP-countersigned health declarations to senior childcare roles and altering adult:child ratios for childminders and group day care from 1 June 2026.
Education Health Original release: Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces changes to areas of childcare regulation (opens in a new tab)
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Health Minister announces new clinic and additional new dentists with £8m funding boost for dental services
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces £8m for general dental services, including six extra dental foundation training places, continued child examination funding and a new urgent dental clinic in the west of the region.
Health Public finance and taxation Original release: Health Minister announces new clinic and additional new dentists with £8m funding boost for dental services (opens in a new tab)
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Givan: Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for…
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan says a visit to Holywood Nursery School shows the Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for children with special educational needs. He cites a new sensory room, extra classroom assistant hours and £4.5million invested in 2025/26 across…
Education Disability and equality Original release: Givan: Pre-School Inclusion Fund is delivering targeted support for… (opens in a new tab)
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Minister Nesbitt announces Cancer Charities Grant Scheme recipients
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt announces that 16 cancer service charities will share funding from the Cancer Charities Grant Scheme, jointly backed by his department and Macmillan, to deliver local support such as mental health help, rehabilitation and transport.
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Lyons launches Warm Healthy Homes Strategy for Northern Ireland
DUP's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons launches the Warm Healthy Homes Strategy 2026-2036 to tackle fuel poverty, saying it has Executive backing and will be paired with a £150million Warm Healthy Homes Fund next year.
Social security and welfare Housing Original release: Lyons launches Warm Healthy Homes Strategy for Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows Announces Senior Leadership Team
Ulster Unionist Party Leader-Elect Jon Burrows MLA announces his senior leadership team ahead of his ratification, confirming Mike Nesbitt MLA continues as Health Minister and Diana Armstrong MLA becomes Chief Whip alongside her role as Deputy Leader, and reaffirms staying in the Executive.
Health Original release: Burrows Announces Senior Leadership Team (opens in a new tab)