Right Care | Right Time | Right Place
Multi-disciplinary Teams in GP practices
Multi-disciplinary Teams (MDTs) are a key priority within the Health and Social Care transformation programme.
It involves the recruitment of the following specialist staff to work alongside GPs and practice staff:
This means patients can see different specialists within the GP practice, reducing the need for referrals and appointments elsewhere.
MDTs help meet the social, physical and mental health wellbeing needs of the local population while providing care closer to people’s homes.
The MDT Programme began in 2018 and at present, the model is fully or partially realised in 12 of the 17 GP Federations areas in Northern Ireland – Down, Derry, West Belfast, Causeway and Newry & District Federations, North Down and Ards, North Belfast, South West (Fermanagh/West Tyrone), East Antrim, Craigavon and Armagh & Dungannon areas.
Investment in MDT staff for 2025-26 is approximately £30.4m per annum, providing patient-focused, accessible care to a population of about 1.12m.
£61m has been secured from the Public Sector Transformation Programme to fund the further implementation of the MDT Programme. The Health Minister Mike Nesbit has launched the MDT Implementation Plan to deliver the rollout of MDTs across all 17 Federations over the next 8 years (2025/26-2032/33).
| 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/2026 | |
| Number of practices with access to MDT | 74 | 75 | 99 | 112 | 115 | 116 | 165 |
| Number of staff (whole time equivalent) | 164 | 232 | 322 | 371 | 370 | 376 | 413 |
| Investment in staff | £9.2m | £13.5m | £17.5m | £18.78 | £20.85m | £25.6m | £30.4m |
MDT printable leaflets can be found on the Department of Health (DoH) website: Primary Care Multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk)