Northern Ireland announces record investment in Health and Social Care Workforce training

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced an unprecedented investment in Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) workforce, with a strong focus on boosting the number of student training places for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs).

The announcement marks a major milestone in the Department of Health’s comprehensive three-year strategy to stabilise, reform, and sustainably deliver essential healthcare services across the region.

A record 505 AHP pre-registration training places will be commissioned for 2025/26 – the highest ever. This sits alongside 1,065 places for Nursing and Midwifery and 330 for Social Work, all part of an annual £160 million investment in workforce commissioning.

Speaking on the strategy, Minister Nesbitt stated:

“Our health and social care workforce are our greatest asset. Without their skill and dedication, there is no service. This plan is about stabilising the foundations of our system by investing in the people who will deliver care now and into the future.”

The new training placements represent a critical step in ensuring a future-ready workforce. Minister Nesbitt added:

“Despite the very real financial pressures we face, I have made it a priority to fund the expansion of our training pipeline over 2025/26 building upon the foundation of the sustained levels of investment over recent years which has delivered growth in the overall Health and Social Care Workforce of over 7,000 whole time equivalents in the last five years – a 11.2% increase over the period.

“This will not only help us meet rising demand but support the transformation of services particularly in primary and community care where AHPs play a vital and growing role.”

Breakdown of Allied Health Professional Training Places:

• Physiotherapy – 110

• Radiography (Therapeutic) – 119

• Occupational Therapy – 93

• Paramedics – 65

• Speech and Language Therapy – 56

• Dietetics – 35

• Podiatry – 27

These roles are increasingly vital in bridging gaps between hospital, community, and in-home care services, with the expansion aiming to reduce pressure on senior clinicians by allowing them to focus on advanced and leadership roles.

Broader Workforce Strategy

The three-year strategy centres around three key pillars:

• Stabilisation: Immediate action to alleviate staffing pressures through improved recruitment, pay, and retention.

• Reform: Expanding training capacity, redesigning care models, and embedding multidisciplinary approaches, especially in primary care settings.

• Delivery: Ensuring services operate with safe staffing, reduced waiting times, and enhanced access to care.

Key elements of the 2025/26 workforce development programme include:

• 378 places secured on the Northern Ireland Medical Foundation Programme for all QUB and UU graduates.

• 24 new medical specialty training posts through the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA), including roles in internal medicine and psychiatry.

• A pilot Diagnostic Radiographer Apprenticeship scheme.

• A dedicated team to implement the HSC Medical and Dental Locum Reduction Project.

• Additional one-off cohorts of 100 AHP, 30 Nursing and Midwifery, and 15 Social Work training places.

• Appointment of five Social Work Recruitment and Retention Co-ordinators across HSC Trusts.

Funding and Forward Planning

The total cost of the expanded training and workforce commissioning package is projected at £2.12 million in 2025/26, rising to £3 million in 2026/27. The Department has confirmed this will be met from within existing budget baselines.

In conclusion, Minister Nesbitt reaffirmed the long-term vision of the strategy, stating:

“This strategy is about doing the right thing in the right way — investing in people, expanding access to training, and supporting innovation in service delivery. If we are serious about transformation, we must be serious about workforce planning.”

This latest announcement underscores the Department’s drive to building a resilient, skilled, and future-proof workforce to meet the healthcare needs of Northern Ireland’s population.