To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the Enhance Care Response Team pilot that has been carried out in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.

To date referrals have been received for 358 residents across nine care homes and 454 professional assessments and interventions conducted.

Early outcomes demonstrate reduced resident ED attendances and hospital admissions evidenced in data collated for the nine care homes where the team have a presence. Care home staff have expressed a feeling of competence and empowerment, residents and families experience a feeling of positive reassurance, and the ECRT teams experience a rewarding model of delivering integrated and holistic care to residents in their own home.

Trust funding has allowed a spread of this service to be commenced in mid-November 2021 to a small number of priority care homes in Mid-Ulster GP Federation locality.