Overview

• Stormont’s health service faces a £600m budget gap, including £200m earmarked for pay rises for nurses, doctors and other staff.
• Mike Farrar is finalizing plans for up to £300m in savings, primarily through deep cuts and efficiency measures across HSC trusts.
• A ministerial direction compels the department to fund the £200m pay awards despite no budget allocation, risking a departmental overspend.
• Farrar has appealed to the Stormont Executive and Assembly for short-term funding support to cover pay increases and stabilize services.
• He remains optimistic that a full system reset supported by investments in platforms like Encompass could transform Northern Ireland into a leading health system.