24th July 2026
Maine Medical Practice in Cullybackey has benefited from a £0.5 million investment through the Department of Health’s Primary Care Infrastructure Development (PCID) Programme.
The investment has funded a new two-storey extension, creating additional capacity for GP and GP nurse training and enabling the practice to accommodate more trainees and undergraduate medical students undertaking clinical placements from Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University.
The development also prepares the practice for the future introduction of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) model across the Antrim and Ballymena GP Federation area. This will allow MDT staff, including physiotherapists, mental health practitioners and social workers, to deliver services directly from the practice.
The extension has added seven new rooms for clinical care, training and seminar activities, and administrative functions, as well as providing additional waiting area space for patients.
The enhanced facilities will support a more integrated, multidisciplinary approach to healthcare, making it easier for patients to access a range of primary and community health services in one location. The investment will also help the practice meet growing demand, strengthen its role in training the next generation of GPs and practice nurses, and support the long-term sustainability of primary care services in the area.
Martin Hayes, Programme Director for the PCID Programme, said: “Supporting investment in GP practices is a key priority for the Department of Health. Approximately £10 million has been invested across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area over the past eight years to increase capacity within primary care premises. I was delighted to visit Maine Medical Practice and see first-hand the significant benefits this investment is delivering for patients, staff and future healthcare professionals.”