Enhancing our care at community level – O’Neill

Health Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA has recognised the invaluable work delivered by the Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs) right across the north of Ireland.

The Minister was attending the Western area Integrated Care Partnership’s Community Conference being held in Derry. ICPs are collaborative networks which bring together statutory and non-statutory health and social care providers together with service users and carer representatives.

Addressing delegates Minister O’Neill said: “ICPs have been at the forefront of exploring how we can work together to create new ways of delivering real, tangible services that improve people’s lives.

“Their contribution in building relationships between different organisations to deliver patient centre services has been recognised in the Bengoa report and in my Health and Wellbeing 2026: Delivering Together vision.”

The Minister added: “Future models of care will need to be person centred, focussed on prevention, early intervention, supporting independence and wellbeing. ICPs have already demonstrated that such services can be provided, maintained and importantly delivered for those in need. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the commitment by all those involved in Integrated Care Partnerships.”

Dr Laura McDonnell, Western ICP Regional Clinical Lead, said: “Today is about exploring the benefits of The Healthy Living Pathway for patients aged over 65 years in Derry, Strabane and Castlederg. We heard how the Stepping On project has prevented falls among the elderly from Fermanagh to Derry. We also heard how patients have been successfully referred onto the Mental Health and Talking Therapies Hub, led by the Western Trust, and how local communities have become involved in a shared End Of Life partnership.

“These demonstrate that partnership working is the hallmark of true innovation. Patients benefit more and better from it and those of us who practice health professionally can see more positive outcomes in the surgery, in the pharmacy or in the hospital. ‘Joint Working In The West’ takes all this into account. While the very serious health deficit has to be recognised, there is also a determination here to plan and do things better with others in ways that provide better pathways to better health for patients and, in doing so, recognise that together we can make a greater difference to peoples’ lives. Even the longest journey begins with the first step. We hope that, through the ‘Joint Working In The West’ conference today, we have started on the next steps in our partnership journey.”

Notes to editors: 

For media enquiries please contact the DoH Press Office on 028 90 520575 or email pressoffice@health-ni.gov.uk. For out of hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07623 974383 and your call will be returned. Follow us on twitter @healthdpt

Share this page