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  • Welcome to Department for Health

    Featured

    Latest news with picture of health minister

    NI to get its first Obesity Management Service

    21 May 2025

    Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has given the go-ahead for a new Regional Obesity Management Service for Northern Ireland.

    Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Active Recruitment Statistics & Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Quarterly Workforce Statistics 31 March 2025

    21 May 2025

    The Department of Health today released details of Northern Ireland Health and Social Care (HSC) vacancies actively

    Raw Disease Prevalence in Northern Ireland - 2024/25

    19 May 2025

    The Department of Health today published information on Raw Disease Prevalence in Northern Ireland for 2024/25, which...

    More news...

    Quick links

    • DoH Ministerial announcements and statements
    • HSC NI Online
    • Fact file – consultation on a Public Health Bill
    • Digital Strategy - HSC Northern Ireland 2022 - 2030
    • DoH statistics and research
    • DoH Statistics Calendar
    • Enabling Safe Quality Midwifery Services and Care In Northern Ireland
    • Bengoa Conference: Accelerating Change - Oct 2024 - Conference highlights
    • Access to information DoH

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    Our responsibilities

    Dentistry

    Advice on dental services and oral health for all dental practitioners and dental care professionals and guidance on workforce planning and contractual arrangements

    Finance, Procurement and Support Services

    Guidance to ALBs on accountability, financial management, procurement and other financial matters. Information about planned and ongoing procurements

    Good management, good records

    Advice and guidance on records management including a retention and disposal schedule covering all records created by the department and HSC organisations, as well as those working under contract to HSC

    Health workforce policy and management

    Medical employment terms and conditions (except GPs), workforce development including education, careers and skills, policy reports and guidance

    Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions (AHPs)

    Nursing and midwifery policies, strategies and guidance and professional guidance for allied health professions

    Governance in health and social care

    Guidance on how organisations should manage their businesses, determine strategy and achieve objectives

    Mental health and learning disabilities

    An overview of the Autism strategy and action plan; Bamford review of mental health and learning disability and mental health and learning disability statistics

    Safety and quality

    Policy and Guidance for Improving the Safety and Quality of Health and Social Care Services including best practice guidance, service frameworks, regulation and Q2020

    Public health policy and advice

    The Strategic Framework for Public Health, health promotion, health protection and emergency preparedness, highlighting obesity prevention, sexual health, skin cancer prevention, suicide prevention and tobacco control

    Professional medical and environmental health advice

    Environmental health and climate change, health and social care research and development, professional good practice guidelines and HSC communications and letters from the CMO

    Pharmacy

    The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison and her team are responsible for providing specialist advice on medicines and pharmaceutical issues, for the development of policy relating to medicines

    Social Care Policy

    All professional aspects on how social care is delivered in Northern Ireland including social work strategy, child protection, NSMC, early authoritative interventions

    Health policy

    Making Life Better, Donaldson report

    DoH Statistics and Research

    Information & analysis directorate (IAD) provides statistical information relating to many aspects of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

    Implementation Programme for the Recommendations from the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia Related Deaths (IHRD)

    Information on the Departments Implementation Programme for the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia Related Deaths (IHRD)

    Transformation Programme

    In October 2016, a 10 year approach to transforming health and social care was launched, “Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together”.

    NMC Future Nurse education standards

    Chief Nursing Officer Professor Charlotte McArdle launches the implementation of the 2018 NMC Future Nurse education standards here in Northern Ireland.

    Digital

    Strategy

    Neurology Recall

    Overview and guidance for Neurology Recall patients seeking compensation

    Celebrating 75 years of the Health Service

    This year is the 75th anniversary of the NHS

    Independent Neurology Inquiry (INI)

    Information on the INI Implementation Programme

    Review of Neurology Services

    Neurological conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and motor neurone disease result from damage to the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nervous system. Some neurological conditions are life threatening, with many severely affecting an individual’s quality of life.

    We work with these bodies

    • Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
    • Business Services Organisation
    • Children's Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland
    • Northern Health & Social Care Trust
    • Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
    • Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service
    • Northern Ireland Fire Rescue Service
    • Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency
    • Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council
    • Northern Ireland Social Care Council
    • Patient Client Council
    • Public Health Agency
    • Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
    • South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust
    • Southern Health & Social Care Trust
    • Western Health & Social Care Trust

    Our documents

    Our publications

    • Northern Ireland children's social services data (provisional)

      Published 21 May 2025
    • Northern Ireland health and social care (HSC) workforce statistics March 2025

      Published 21 May 2025
    • Northern Ireland health and social care (HSC) active recruitment statistics March 2025

      Published 21 May 2025
    See all our publications

    Our consultations

    • NICE Equality Consultation iro NICE Clinical Guideline NG249 - Falls: assessment and prevention in older people and in people 50 and over at higher risk

      Closes 17 June 2025
    • Consultation on Regional Review of Neurology Services - Final Report

      Closes 06 August 2025
    • Consultation on Draft Equality Action Plan and Draft Disability Action Plan

      Closes 28 June 2025
    See all our consultations

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department of Health including Freedom of Information, information about yourself and the type of information we commit to publish on a regular basis.

    Find out more about accessing Department of Health information

    The Minister

    Photograph of Minister Nesbitt

    Minister of Health

    Health Minister Mike Nesbitt was appointed Minister of Health for Northern Ireland on 29 May 2024. Mr Nesbitt previously served as the Assembly Private Secretary to the Health Minister.

    About us

    The Department of Health (DoH) is responsible for:

    • Health and Social Care (HSC), which includes policy and legislation for hospitals, family practitioner services and community health and personal social services
    • Public Health, which covers policy, legislation and administrative action to promote and protect the health and well-being of the population
    • Public Safety, which covers policy and legislation for fire and rescue services

    Read more about the department

    Corporate information

    • Privacy Notice - DoH
    • DoH Business Areas - Privacy Notices
    • Public Task Statement
    • Public Safety
    • DoH equality policy information
    • Social Media Policy

    Contact us

    Department of Health
    Castle Buildings
    Stormont
    Belfast
    Northern Ireland
    BT4 3SQ

    Telephone: 028 9052 0500
    Email: webmaster@health-ni.gov.uk

    Alternatively contact us using our feedback form.

    Please Note: This email address is for non-emergency queries only relating to the work of the Department of Health NI.

    IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY PLEASE CALL 999.

    Correspondence received by the Department is not acknowledged: however, every effort is made to ensure a prompt response.

    Contact information for DHSC (England)

    See all contacts

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