Northern Ireland mental health plan prioritises crisis services and workforce amid funding pressures
The Department of Health has published its Mental Health Strategy Delivery Plan for 2026/27, setting out priorities for improving services across Northern Ireland amid continuing financial pressures.
Health Minister Robbie Butler announced the plan on Thursday 15 October, confirming that efforts during the current financial year will concentrate on strengthening the mental health workforce, improving crisis services and addressing inequalities in access to care.
The document outlines work being taken forward under Northern Ireland’s Mental Health Strategy 2021–2031, alongside progress made during the previous financial year.
Four priorities identified for mental health services
The Department has identified four areas where it intends to concentrate its efforts during 2026/27.
These include strengthening the mental health workforce, particularly through greater involvement from community and voluntary organisations.
Work will also continue towards establishing a regionally consistent Mental Health Crisis Service, aimed at ensuring people experiencing acute mental health difficulties can access appropriate support.
The Department intends to improve collaboration between services to reduce differences in provision across Northern Ireland.
A further priority will involve progressing improvements that can be delivered at little or no additional cost, allowing existing resources to be used more effectively.
Health Minister acknowledges funding pressures
Health Minister Robbie Butler said improving mental health services remained a priority despite the financial challenges facing his Department.
“Mental health has long been a priority of mine, therefore I recognise the importance of ensuring people in acute distress receive safe, timely and person-centered care,” he said.
The Minister acknowledged that financial constraints had influenced the Department’s approach to delivering the strategy.
He said the latest plan represented a realistic programme of work that would maintain progress towards longer-term objectives while making effective use of available resources.
Butler also stressed that delivering the strategy in full would require sustained additional investment.
CAMHS and specialist mental health services
Although four areas have been identified for particular attention, the Department confirmed that work would continue across the wider Mental Health Strategy.
This includes ongoing investment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, with further improvements planned to increase access, capacity and outcomes for children and young people.
The Department also intends to continue expanding Northern Ireland’s regional Perinatal Mental Health Service, which provides specialist support for women experiencing mental health difficulties during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Further improvements are planned for crisis and specialist services, including support for people experiencing eating disorders and personality disorders.
The Department said these developments would build on progress already achieved through earlier delivery plans.
Focus on prevention and early intervention
The latest delivery plan also references the Public Mental Health Action Plan 2026–2029.
This programme focuses on promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing, alongside preventing the development of mental health problems.
It forms part of the wider ten-year strategy, which aims to improve services and provide more consistent access to mental health support throughout Northern Ireland.
The Department said implementation of the strategy would continue alongside the priorities identified for the current financial year.
Long-term investment remains necessary
The Mental Health Strategy was originally published in 2021, setting out a ten-year programme of improvements to mental health services.
However, progress has been affected by financial constraints.
A Department of Health review published in October 2025 identified a substantial funding shortfall and recommended concentrating available resources on actions capable of delivering the greatest improvements.
The review found that only £12.3 million had been allocated to 14 strategy actions by the end of 2024/25, representing approximately 16% of the funding considered necessary for implementation during that period.
The latest delivery plan reflects those recommendations.
Butler said his Department would continue to advocate for the investment required to deliver the strategy’s ambitions in full.
Department of Health — Mental Health Strategy 2021–2031 and delivery plans
Related news: More than 1,700 young people waiting for mental health assessments in Northern Ireland