Nesbitt: 2026 must be a year of action for health reform and Executive delivery

Health Minister and Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt

Health Minister and Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt has described 2026 as a “highly consequential year” for Northern Ireland’s health and social care system, his party’s renewal, and the effectiveness of the Northern Ireland Executive.

In his New Year message, Mr Nesbitt said the coming year would be critical in determining whether long-promised reforms in healthcare can finally be delivered, particularly through earlier intervention and prevention-focused models of care.

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Mike Nesbitt MLA said:

“2026 is shaping up to be a highly consequential year, both for health and social care and for the Ulster Unionist Party. The longer I am in post as Health Minister, the more convinced I am that if we do not ‘shift left’ soon, it may never happen.”

Neighbourhood health care model

A central plank of Mr Nesbitt’s plans is the introduction of a new neighbourhood-based model of healthcare, due to begin at the start of the next financial year.

“The plan is to introduce a new neighbourhood model of health care from the start of the financial year on 1 April.”

He said the approach would prioritise prevention and earlier treatment, reducing pressure on waiting lists and improving outcomes for patients.

“This means putting a renewed focus on keeping healthy people healthy and, when prevention does not work, making early interventions instead of letting people linger on long waiting lists until they become seriously unwell and the fix becomes very expensive.”

Addressing capacity pressures across the system, he added:

“If capacity fails to meet demand, the logical thing to do is to address the demand side of the equation.”

Financial pressures

Mr Nesbitt acknowledged ongoing budget constraints but insisted they should not prevent meaningful reform.

“Money remains tight, but that is the sort of challenge people like me seek election to tackle. Challenges are not insurmountable obstacles.”

Party renewal and elections

Looking beyond health, Mr Nesbitt said 2026 would also be a pivotal year for the Ulster Unionist Party as it prepares for the May 2027 elections to Stormont and Northern Ireland’s 11 council chambers.

“2026 must also be consequential for my Party.”

Reflecting on his return to the party leadership in 2024, he outlined a period of internal stabilisation and restructuring.

“Since retaking the Leader’s role in 2024, my focus has been on fixing internal issues. We are stable again, our finances are in great shape, the rules have been rewritten (a dull but essential exercise), and recruitment to a new staff team to handle policy, media, and administration is complete.”

He said these steps had positioned the party to move into election mode.

“So we are in position to join those parties already in election mode ahead of the May 2027 polls for Stormont and our 11 council chambers.”

Call for Executive delivery

Mr Nesbitt also issued a wider challenge to the Northern Ireland Executive, arguing that collective action is required to address entrenched social problems.

“2026 must also be a time for delivery by the Northern Ireland Executive. I am doing my bit in health and social care, but it is not enough.”

He said his time in office had reinforced the limits of individual ministerial action.

“The longer I serve, the clearer it is to me that there is very little of real substance that can be achieved by a single minister alone.”

Identifying key priorities, he said:

“There are three very sticky, hard to move challenges that the Executive could begin to tackle in the remaining months of this mandate: health inequalities, educational underachievement, and economic inactivity.”

Mr Nesbitt stressed that these issues disproportionately affect deprived communities.

“All are most prevalent in areas of deprivation, and I want to see a collective focus on improving the lives of the people who live with little hope of better.”

New Year message

Concluding his address, the Health Minister offered a message of goodwill for the year ahead.

“I wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2026.”