AQW 33873/22-27


Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford


Tabled Date: 20/10/2025
Answered On Date: 04/11/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail how he is addressing the shortage of one to one support workers for adults with special educational needs.


Answer:
I have publicly acknowledged that our workforce represents the Health Service's greatest asset.
Whilst I am committed to finding solutions to the challenges faced within the social care workforce and am mindful of how staff shortages impact people with Learning Disabilities I would observe that the ability of my Department to fully address workforce challenges within health and social care is dependent on the financial resource made available.
My Department is addressing the social care workforce shortage through a combination of a newly launched 10-year strategy, a system-wide reset plan, and ongoing negotiations to resolve pay disputes.
The Social Care Workforce Strategy 2025-2035, sets out seven priorities to develop a skilled, motivated, and valued social care workforce including support workers equipped with the necessary skills to meet the needs of people with Learning Disabilities. The strategy focuses on career pathways, enhancing professional identity, recruitment and retention and learning and development.
In addition, the Health and Social Care Reset Plan, contains measures to counter the unprecedented financial pressures which we currently face and to reform the Health and Social Care system. Whilst the Reset Plan adopts a focus upon the entire system, the Plan also has direct bearing upon workforce challenges including a focus on reduction of staff absence, limiting reliance on agency staff and stabilising the permanent workforce.
In October 2025, the Executive allocated £100 million towards this year's healthcare pay deal. I have publicly stated that this only covers half the shortfall, and my Department is still working to find the remaining funds. Pay parity is a critical consideration in enabling my Department to deliver services, particularly to those people whose needs are most complex and who rely upon the availability of a skilled and reliable workforce.