Northern Ireland Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has introduced a new Medical and Dental Agency Framework with a price cap on locum doctors and dentists. The measure aims to lower agency spending in Health and Social Care and encourage more doctors to take permanent positions with trusts.

The framework builds on a similar one for nursing, midwifery and support workers launched in May 2023. It continues work from the HSC Regional Agency Reduction Implementation Group, set up by former minister Robin Swann in March 2020. Nesbitt described the step as significant in reducing reliance on agency and locum staff.

Agency spending on registered nurses and midwives fell 22.3% between 2022/23 and 2024/25, with off-contract use almost eliminated. HSC organisations stopped using agency social workers after 30 June 2023. Spending dropped 9% in administrative and clerical roles and 7% in support services over the same period.

Nesbitt noted trusts' collaboration in cutting agency costs across staff groups, including the full end to social work agency staffing. A new Medical and Dental Agency Reduction Group, led by Neil Guckian and Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Lourda Geoghegan, has outlined 16 workstreams for the next year.

Plans include competitive rates for e-locums filled by core HSC staff, reviews of vulnerable specialties with options like telemedicine and regional cover, and assessments of the medical training pipeline to address future shortages.