AQW 45201/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of vacancies in (i) nursing; and (ii) allied health professions, broken down by (a) speciality; and Health and Social Care Trust.
Asked by Danny Donnelly MLA on 30 April 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 30 April 2026
- Answer due by
- 18 May 2026
- Answered
- 29 May 202629 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Information on Health and Social Care (HSC) vacancies actively being recruited by staff group and organisation is published by my Department on a quarterly basis at the link below. The latest information available refers to 31 December 2025. https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/articles/staff-vacancies
A breakdown of registered nursing and allied health profession (AHP) vacancies actively being recruited at 31 December 2025, broken down by HSC Trust, is detailed in the tables below. Vacancies actively being recruited at 31 March 2026 will be published and available at the above link on Tuesday 2nd June 2026.
HSC Registered Nursing Vacancies Actively Being Recruited, at 31 December 2025
| Registered Nursing | Belfast HSCT | Northern HSCT | South Eastern HSCT | Southern HSCT | Western HSCT | Other HSC Orgs | Total |
| Health Visitors | 9 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 28 |
| District Nurses | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Paediatric Nurses | 47 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 81 |
| Mental Health Nurses | 89 | 16 | 21 | 41 | 38 | 0 | 205 |
| Learning Disability Nurses | 4 | 8 | 3 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 40 |
| All Other Registered Nurses | 293 | 219 | 133 | 71 | 133 | 3 | 852 |
| Total | 443 | 257 | 165 | 156 | 188 | 3 | 1,212 |
Source: Information & Analysis Directorate, DoH
HSC Allied Health Profession Vacancies Actively Being Recruited, at 31 December 2025
| Allied Health Professions | Belfast HSCT | Northern HSCT | South Eastern HSCT | Southern HSCT | Western HSCT | Other HSC Orgs | Total |
| Physiotherapists | 36 | 13 | 22 | 17 | 20 | 0 | 108 |
| Occupational Therapists | 31 | 24 | 26 | 15 | 20 | 0 | 116 |
| Speech & Language Therapists | 14 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 42 |
| Podiatrists | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| Dietitians | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 18 |
| Orthoptists | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Radiographers | 21 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 59 |
| Paramedics | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| Total | 114 | 61 | 69 | 60 | 61 | 12 | 377 |
Source: Information & Analysis Directorate, DoH
Graduate specific vacancies cannot be explicitly identified, however, new graduates would ordinarily commence employment at Band 5. A breakdown of registered nursing and AHP band 5 vacancies actively being recruited at 31 December 2025, broken down by HSC Trust, is detailed in the tables below.
HSC Registered Nursing Band 5 Vacancies Actively Being Recruited, at 31 December 2025
| Registered Nursing | Belfast HSCT | Northern HSCT | South Eastern HSCT | Southern HSCT | Western HSCT | Other HSC Orgs | Total |
| Health Visitors | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| District Nurses | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Paediatric Nurses | 38 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 62 |
| Mental Health Nurses | 66 | 14 | 12 | 21 | 27 | 0 | 140 |
| Learning Disability Nurses | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 22 |
| All Other Registered Nurses | 202 | 179 | 103 | 41 | 84 | 1 | 610 |
| Total | 311 | 202 | 118 | 88 | 119 | 1 | 839 |
Source: Information & Analysis Directorate, DoH
HSC Allied Health Profession Band 5 Vacancies Actively Being Recruited, at 31 December 2025
| Allied Health Professions | Belfast HSCT | Northern HSCT | South Eastern HSCT | Southern HSCT | Western HSCT | Other HSC Orgs | Total |
| Physiotherapists | 13 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 27 |
| Occupational Therapists | 6 | 10 | 15 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 40 |
| Speech & Language Therapists | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Podiatrists | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Dietitians | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| Orthoptists | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Radiographers | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| Paramedics | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 31 | 15 | 28 | 7 | 23 | 2 | 106 |
Source: Information & Analysis Directorate, DoH