To ask the Minister of Health whether any assessment has been made of the impact of recent funding changes on the availability of domiciliary care services in rural areas.

My Department keeps under review the impact of funding allocations on the provision of homecare services across Northern Ireland, including in rural areas. This includes engagement with Health and Social Care Trusts, which are responsible for commissioning and delivering homecare services locally.

While no specific standalone assessment has been undertaken solely in relation to recent funding changes and rural homecare provision, my Department recognises that rural areas can face particular challenges. These include workforce recruitment and retention, travel times for care staff, and the geographic dispersal of service users, all of which can affect service capacity and delivery.

Health and Social Care Trusts have advised that funding pressures, alongside wider workforce issues, continue to impact the availability and flexibility of homecare services, with these challenges often more acute in rural locations. In response, my Department has sought to prioritise funding allocations to support frontline services, including homecare.

As part of the 2023/24 Winter Preparedness Plan, Trusts received recurrent funding of approximately £697,000 to establish Early Review Teams, aimed at ensuring homecare packages are regularly reviewed and that available care capacity is used as effectively as possible. Some of the Trusts enhanced capacity for early review teams and discharge co-ordination with the £10 Million repurposed funding in October 2025. This funding was to support Trusts with unscheduled care and improve ambulance turnaround times at Emergency Departments.

On 6 November 2025, the Executive approved a Ministerial Direction on 2025/26 pay, which enabled the implementation of the HSC pay award, costing up to £209 million. This aims to support workforce stability and service delivery. My Department has also encouraged the development of innovative delivery models to better meet the needs of rural communities.

My Department will continue to work closely with Trusts to monitor service provision and identify actions to mitigate any adverse impacts, including those arising from funding changes, and to ensure that people living in rural areas can access safe and effective care within their own homes.