To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety whether a commitment to enrol everyone that has a long-term condition in a self-management programme is a priority for his Department during ongoing discussions for the 2016-2020 Programme for Government.

I am committed to ensuring that services are in place to improve the health and well-being of people living with long term conditions, including diabetes.

My Department’s Policy Framework ‘Living with Long Term Conditions’ (2012) recognises the important role that structured patient education programmes play in supporting people to self manage their condition. A Regional Long Term Conditions Implementation Group, led by the Public Health Agency and Health and Social Care Board and including representation from Health and Social Care Trusts and the Long Term Conditions Alliance NI, is in place to implement the good practice outlined in the Policy Framework. The Regional Implementation Group has developed an implementation plan which includes actions to improve access to structured patient education programmes.

A review of diabetes services, led by the Chief Medical Officer was initiated in 2012. The review report was published in June 2014. One of the review report’s 11 recommendations was to widen access to patient education and self management programmes. My Department is currently working with key stakeholders to consider how the recommendations of the review report can be taken forward.

Alongside this, a Programme for Government (PfG) commitment has been in place to enrol people who have a long term (chronic) condition, and who want to be enrolled, in a dedicated condition management programme. Significant progress has been made in achieving this commitment. The most recent summary report for structured patient education programmes (both condition specific and generic) delivered in 2013/14 was published in March 2015 and showed a year on year increase in both the number of programmes delivered and the number of programme participants in 2013/14 compared with 2012/13 and the PfG baseline monitoring year 2011/12.

Between 2011/12 and 2013/14, the number of structured patient education programmes delivered increased by 34.5% from 625 to 841. Participant numbers over the same period increased by 25% from 10,189 to 12,741. A total of 318 structured patient education programmes covering both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes were delivered in 2013/14, with 2,738 participants.

A series of workshops has taken place to explore themes and outcomes for a framework for the next Programme for Government 2016-21. Further workshops are planned and my Department will continue to be fully engaged in this process.