AQW 17937/17-22


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 26/04/2021
Answered On Date: 08/06/2021
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) for an update on the roll-out of Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) in the Causeway GP Federation Area; (ii) how many MDTs in this area have social workers; (iii) what plans he has to fund MDTs on a recurrent basis; (iv) how many practitioners have successfully applied for a MDT role and have not been appointed; and;(v) when will MDTs be fully developed.


Answer:
The Primary Care Multi-disciplinary Teams (MDTs) model introduces new physiotherapy, mental health and social work roles to general practice, to work alongside enhanced levels of district nursing and health visiting staff and the existing practice team. It aims to move from a system of treating illness to supporting good physical and mental health, and social wellbeing.
Causeway GP Federation, in partnership with NHSCT, began work to implement the MDT model in July 2019. At the end of March 2021, there were 40.7 new whole time equivalent (WTE) staff supported by the Programme in the Causeway area.
Over 20,000 patients in the Causeway GP Federation area can now benefit from a full MDT team in their local GP practice. All 18 practices have at least the mental health element of the multi-disciplinary team, with 6 practices also having social workers within the expanded practice team.
Overall in the Causeway area, 14 social workers, 9 social work assistants and 3 physiotherapists have been successful at interview to an MDT post, but have not yet been offered a position. All those who successfully applied to the mental health practitioner roles have now been offered posts.
To date, the rollout of the MDT model has been made possible through utilisation of Transformation funding, this non-recurrent, ring-fenced support has allowed important new initiatives like MDTs to become embedded and, which now need to become sustainable in the long term.
As we move into the space of rebuilding, whilst also managing the ongoing demands of the pandemic, work must now move at pace to deliver on this commitment to sustainability.  The Rebuilding Management Board will progress this issue to ensure that transformation projects have plans in place to enable financial sustainability in 2021/22.
Programme leads in the Department and the HSCB are currently also working closely with all HSC Trusts and GP Federations in the development of a ‘road map’for future expansion of the model, a process which is expected to be completed before summer 2021. The road map will enable robust planning around the cost and timescale for the rollout of the model to the remainder of Northern Ireland. However, expansion of the model is dependent on the availability of a suitably qualified and experienced workforce, the readiness of the primary care estate and the provision of appropriate funding.