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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| DUP-Tory deal: Cash to improve GP services | DUP-Tory deal: Cash to improve GP services |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Department of Health has revealed how it plans to spend £70m set aside for transforming the health service. | The Department of Health has revealed how it plans to spend £70m set aside for transforming the health service. |
| The money comes from the £100m transformation fund - part of the DUP's confidence and supply agreement with the Conservative government. | The money comes from the £100m transformation fund - part of the DUP's confidence and supply agreement with the Conservative government. |
| Primary care will get a £15m boost. | Primary care will get a £15m boost. |
| Of this, £5m will go towards GP practices. It is planned that physiotherapists, mental health specialists and social workers will work with doctors and nurses. | Of this, £5m will go towards GP practices. It is planned that physiotherapists, mental health specialists and social workers will work with doctors and nurses. |
| The aim is to help provide more care close to people's homes and to ease pressure on hospitals. | The aim is to help provide more care close to people's homes and to ease pressure on hospitals. |
| The multi-disciplinary teams will be rolled out in two pilot areas this year - the eventual target is that they will be extended to all GP surgeries in Northern Ireland. | The multi-disciplinary teams will be rolled out in two pilot areas this year - the eventual target is that they will be extended to all GP surgeries in Northern Ireland. |
| Analysis by Marie-Louise Connolly | Analysis by Marie-Louise Connolly |
| BBC News NI Health Correspondent | BBC News NI Health Correspondent |
| Any additional money for the health service is good news. Small steps accompanied by small pots of cash can help begin changing systems which can make a big difference to people's lives. | Any additional money for the health service is good news. Small steps accompanied by small pots of cash can help begin changing systems which can make a big difference to people's lives. |
| This announcement means money for GPs who are the gateway to Northern Ireland's health care system. | |
| £5 million will go specifically towards funding two pilot projects possibly based in areas of acute deprivation. Those areas have yet to be agreed. | £5 million will go specifically towards funding two pilot projects possibly based in areas of acute deprivation. Those areas have yet to be agreed. |
| That funding will pay for multi disciplinary teams such as speech therapists, dermatologists and physiotherapists to be based under one roof. | That funding will pay for multi disciplinary teams such as speech therapists, dermatologists and physiotherapists to be based under one roof. |
| This will build on the idea that health in the community should be provided as a one-stop shop. While convenient and cost effective, it also keeps the public away from hospitals which are expensive to run. | |
| All sounds good but this money is a one-off cash injection. The pilots will have to prove that they work, that they are cost effective and should be funded long term . | |
| Money saved from hospitals could then be transferred to community care instead. This is what Professor Bengoa outlined in his review. | Money saved from hospitals could then be transferred to community care instead. This is what Professor Bengoa outlined in his review. |
| This is the beginning but the challenge will be ensuring that the idea and the pilots don't come to an abrupt end. | This is the beginning but the challenge will be ensuring that the idea and the pilots don't come to an abrupt end. |
| Further details on how the £70m is to be spent include: | Further details on how the £70m is to be spent include: |
| Earlier this year the department announced that £30m was to be spent tackling Northern Ireland's hospital waiting lists. | Earlier this year the department announced that £30m was to be spent tackling Northern Ireland's hospital waiting lists. |
| The former Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland John Compton said the investment was good news, welcoming the emphasis on primary care. | The former Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board in Northern Ireland John Compton said the investment was good news, welcoming the emphasis on primary care. |
| "Most of us receive our health and social care in primary care with our general practitioner or in community services," he said. | "Most of us receive our health and social care in primary care with our general practitioner or in community services," he said. |
| Mr Compton said the investment was the equivalent of 125 jobs but it would take about three months to fill those roles. | Mr Compton said the investment was the equivalent of 125 jobs but it would take about three months to fill those roles. |
| Dr David Johnston is a GP working in Cullybackey and Ahoghill in County Antrim, he said the cash investment was "very good news". | Dr David Johnston is a GP working in Cullybackey and Ahoghill in County Antrim, he said the cash investment was "very good news". |
| "This is really seed funding, it's £5m, which in the grand scheme of things is not a huge amount of money but it will allow some experimentation. | "This is really seed funding, it's £5m, which in the grand scheme of things is not a huge amount of money but it will allow some experimentation. |
| "The vision now is that more and more care is delivered, not in hospitals where care is most expensive, but in the community," he added. | "The vision now is that more and more care is delivered, not in hospitals where care is most expensive, but in the community," he added. |