NEWS

Pictured at the opening of the Infinity Room are Noah’s parents Corrina and Johnny McAleese, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Leona Laverty, Bereavement Co-Ordinator, Northern Trust. A new bereavement support space, created in memory of a Dunloy toddler who tragically lost his life in a farming accident, has officially opened at Causeway Hospital. The Infinity Room, named in honour of two-year-old Noah McAleese and his love of Toy Story, was opened this week by Noah’s parents

Back row: Damien McLaughlin (Charge Nurse Renal Unit), Dr Bob Mullan (Nephrologist), Stephen Watson (BBC presenter and ambassador for Northern Ireland Kidney Research Fund & Kidney Care UK) Front row: Audrey Harris (Northern Trust Director Medicine and Emergency Medicine), Louise Sloan (Specialist Nurse), Gerry Totten (ex-Charge Nurse), Niall Gallagher (Lead Nurse), Caroline Speedy (Assistant Director Medicine and Emergency Medicine) and Natalie McLaughlin (Clinical S

Patients at Antrim Area Hospital are now benefiting from faster, more accurate diagnoses thanks to a state-of-the-art multifunctional gamma camera, one of only two in Northern Ireland. Installed last year, the scanner combines CT and nuclear imaging in a single device, enabling healthcare professionals to detect diseases at an earlier stage, tailor treatments to individual patients, and reduce the need for multiple scans. Marie Harvey, Lead Radiographer for Nuclear Medicine ,

The Causeway Hospital, Coleraine The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has responded to concerns about the proposed closure of an 18-bed acute admission ward at Causeway Hospital in Coleraine. A statement was issued following issues raised by campaign group SOS Causeway Hospital during a recent meeting with Trust representatives regarding the future of the Ross Thomson Unit. Representatives from SOS Causeway Hospital met with Dr Petra Corr, Director of Mental Health and

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced that the Northern Ireland Executive has approved his plan to restore pay parity for health service staff, bringing their pay levels back in line with colleagues across the UK. In a statement today, Mr Nesbitt said: “The Executive has today given me approval to deliver pay parity for health service staff, which was our original intention and what unions and professional bodies have been asking for and is their right.” The Minister con

Senior staff from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust pictured with representatives from SOS Causeway following a recent meeting where the group received an update from the Trust on the wide range of mental health services provided across the Causeway Coast and Glens area. Senior staff from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust have described recent discussions with community representatives from SOS Causeway as “productive” , following a meeting focused on mental h

Diane Holden and Donna Houston, winners of the ‘technology to support medicines optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards. Clinical pharmacists at Antrim Area Hospital have won a UK-wide award for an innovative project that merges medicine with technology to improve patient safety and independence. Diane Holden and Donna Houston took home first prize in the ‘Technology to Support Medicines Optimisation’ category at the PrescQIPP UK National Awards in Notting

More than 195,000 Universal Credit recipients in Northern Ireland will gain automatic entitlement to free NHS sight tests, dental treatment, and travel cost support from 1 December, following a key legislative update announced by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. The move brings Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK, after years of disparity in how Universal Credit recipients accessed the Help with Health Costs (HwHC) scheme. The HwHC scheme supports people on low in

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt with staff at Kilrea Dental Surgery. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has paid tribute to the team at Kilrea Dental Surgery for their crucial role in improving access to Health Service dental care through the Dental Access Scheme (DAS). During a visit to the practice, which joined the scheme in 2024 and has since treated 3,817 patients, the Minister was joined by Chief Dental Officer Caroline Lappin to meet with practice owner Mr Charlie Kielt and his

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has warned that it may be “difficult to provide all services whilst managing the expected increase in demand for unscheduled or critical care” as it launches its 2025/26 Winter Plan. Outlining the plan to board members during a meeting at Antrim Hospital on Thursday, Gillian Traub, Director of Operations , acknowledged that staff are “very anxious” about the coming months. She said planning

CGI: Aerial overview of proposed new Birch Hill mental health facility at Antrim Area Hospital Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has been urged to come up with the finance needed for the new £143 million Birch Hill mental health facility at Bush Road in Antrim. The planned development has reached a standstill without confirmation of capital funding. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust had been due to receive the building for commissioning on 31 December 2029, which already r

The photo accompanying this release features participants who have successfully completed this latest academy, alongside key individuals from the project: Hayley Barr and Rhonda Lynn from Mid & East Antrim Labour Market Partnership (MEALMP), and Hannah Wilson and Naomi Hutchinson from Northern GP Federation Support Unit. The Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU) has marked the successful completion of another Medical Administration Academy, delivered in partnership wi

Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department The Department of Health (DoH) has published new Emergency Care Waiting Time Statistics for July to September 2025, showing that while overall attendances at emergency departments (EDs) in Northern Ireland increased slightly, long waits remain a significant challenge. According to the quarterly statistical bulletin, 203,230 people attended emergency departments across Northern Ireland during the three-month period — a 2.5% rise on the

A Ballymena-based mental health charity that has supported nearly 1,500 people in crisis in recent years has warned that it may be forced to close within months unless sustainable government funding is secured. Turning Point NI, a community crisis intervention and mental health hub founded in 2015 within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT), plays a critical role in supporting individuals experiencing mental health crises across Mid and East Antrim. Its mission i

Concerns about fake references being submitted for agency healthcare workers were brought before the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board following an alert earlier this year. During the most recent Trust board meeting, Paul Turley, a non-executive director , told members that fraudulent references had been submitted for agency posts, with a “small number specific to the Northern Trust”. According to the meeting minutes, the Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS) — w

Rachel Calvin with a judge from the IBMS after winning the poster competition in the cellular pathology category. The laboratory team at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) has celebrated a remarkable achievement at the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) Congress in Birmingham, widely regarded as the UK’s leading forum for pathology innovation. The event, which attracts the country’s top biomedical scientists and laboratory staff, is the largest of its kind

North Antrim MLA Paul Frew speaking in the Assembly earlier this week. North Antrim MLA Paul Frew has announced overwhelming public support for his proposed Individual Duty of Candour Bill, which seeks to strengthen transparency and accountability within Northern Ireland’s healthcare system. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday, 14 October, Mr Frew confirmed that 94% of respondents to his 14-week public consultation backed the proposal. “I place on record my a

As Northern Ireland prepares for another challenging winter, the Department of Health has published its 2025–26 Winter Preparedness Plan, setting out a comprehensive strategy to protect vital health and social care services and support staff across the system. The plan, described as “an overarching framework for regional and local action,” identifies ten priority areas designed to maintain patient safety, improve hospital flow, and strengthen workforce resilience through the

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has hailed “real and meaningful change” across Northern Ireland’s health service, as new figures show major progress in cutting some of the longest waiting times for care under the Department of Health’s Reset Plan. Since April 2025, more than 100,000 red flag or time-critical patients have been seen, diagnosed, or treated across Health and Social Care Trusts (HSC), including through partnerships with the independent sector. The Department expect

L-R: Siobhan Martin, Clare Wilson, Charlene McLaughlin, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Eileen Dolan, Dr Mary McDaid, Sarah McElholm and Margaret Ferris Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has paid tribute to clinicians working within the Western Health and Social Care Trust’s specialist Autism Early Intervention Service (EIS) as part of World Allied Health Professionals (AHP) Day celebrations. World AHP Day is an annual event dedicated to recognising the vital contributions of Allied