Care Closer to Home: New Neighbourhood Health and Wellbeing Model published

Date published: 31 March 2026

The Model is a core element of the Department’s Reset Plan, and marks the beginning of a major shift in how care is delivered across Northern Ireland.

This sets in motion an approach to long-term change that will help people receive more proactive, preventative and specialist care closer to home, reducing the need for hospital attendance when appropriate and possible.

The Model will enable and support people to live healthier, more independent lives, through Integrated Neighbourhood Teams including health and social care providers, local councils and the Voluntary and Community Sector. It’s a model that seeks to tackle health inequalities, strengthen prevention, improve continuity, and manage demand more effectively across the health and social care system. Most importantly, it puts people, both providers and service users, at the centre.

Reflecting the ‘shift left’ thinking, the model will see care being brought closer to people’s homes and a much greater emphasis on genuine partnership working for the benefit of all of those who live here.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: 

“It is well-known that demand for HSC services is rising, workforce pressures are intensifying, and our current ways of working don’t have the capacity to cope. What has become clear is that doing more of what we’ve always done won’t get us where we need to go. We need to do things differently.

“Last year, I promised a new model of Neighbourhood Care which would bring care much closer to people’s front doors. Early in the development process we recognised that there are many providers with considerable expertise and experience already working in communities. Therefore, it made sense to bring them all together, with a focus on prevention, early intervention and providing the right support when needed.”

“The first phase of implementation focuses on making early progress across the four pillars; establishing the Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, moving care closer to home, a neighbourhood innovation programme and neighbourhood relationships and connections. Our initial focus is older people, where the need is greatest. The priority will be earlier, proactive support, smoother discharge from hospital, and better access to enable older people to thrive at home which is where they really want to be.”

Ruth Sutherland, CBE, Chair of the Patient and Client Council, said: 

“Working in partnership, in your neighbourhood, to shape services that work for your community is the best way to achieve results. The public, local communities, local councils, voluntary and community sector organisations and others have a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise that can help shape, deliver and advance services at a local level for best outcomes. 

“The shift in relationship that is needed, between the HSC system and the public, essentially involves moving from a doing to, or for approach, to doing with people in communities. The Minister’s approach offers a real opportunity to embed People as Partners across our Health and Social Care system going forward.”

Acknowledging that the model is ambitious, the Minister added: 

“This is only the beginning of a journey to make real, sustained and meaningful change. The model has involved extensive work from officials in my Department, and input from a wide range of stakeholders. Our Call for Evidence gathered an impressive 183 real-world examples which have shaped and inspired our model.

“What we are seeking to do is achievable. It will be supported through a mixed funding approach, which is designed to enable long-term cultural and operational change, showing my commitment to truly ‘shifting left’.”

The funding approach includes redirecting HSC Trust resources away from hospitals into community settings, dedicated core funding for Neighbourhood Teams, invest-to-shift opportunities, and external funding and partnerships.

Macmillan’s Neighbourhood Transformation Fund has committed to investing up to £10 million over the coming 3-5 years.

Gemma Peters, CEO of Macmillan said: 

“I am proud that Macmillan’s Neighbourhood Transformation Fund has committed to investing up to £10 million to provide that vital support. By working in partnership, we are moving away from inconsistent service gaps towards a new standard of excellence. Our investment is not just about increasing capacity, it is about ensuring that seamless, equitable care becomes a reality for every person in need of expert support when it matters most.”

The Minister concluded by saying: 

“By making this shift together, we will be building a neighbourhood-focused system that delivers better health and wellbeing outcomes for absolutely everyone across Northern Ireland - today and for generations to come.”