Causeway GP Federation Quarterly Newsletter - Summer 2026
- Northern Federation Support Unit
- Aug 3
- 21 min read
⭐NEW! Contents⭐
We're pleased to introduce a new interactive Contents section to enhance your reading experience. By clicking on any of the topics listed below, you'll be taken directly to that section of the newsletter.
We hope this makes it easier to find the updates most relevant to you while still allowing you to explore everything happening across NFSU.
A note from the Chair - Dr Johnny Burns
Colleagues,
I hope this update find you well .
General Practice continues to be incredibly busy with ongoing pressures on staff . We will continue to support Practices to the best of our ability .
More recently some of you may be aware of wider discussion about the Neighbourhood Model (NM) . I have been involved in discussion regards this for the past year. It is largely about bringing care closer to patients and being more community based. This is something most of us I think would see as a good thing and something that a well funded General Practice would be front and centre on. That being said, I assure you we have made no commitments at this stage as we are still in position of contract dispute with SPPG / Dept of Health having had our contract imposed last year and despite being 3 months into a new financial year, this years is still not agreed.
It is encouraging that Federations are seen as integral to NM development and as such in due course they may afford opportunities financially for the Federation and or Practices.
I will try and keep you updated regards any significant developments and maybe even arrange a meeting as things progress.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your continued professionalism and support. The pressures remain significant, but the collaborative approach across our Federation continues to be a real strength.
Best regards,
Johnny.
Northern GP Federation Support Unit Update (NFSU)
Keeping you up to date with our team.
Feel free to reach out to any of the NFSU team supporting the four Northern GP Federations (Antrim Ballymena, Causeway, East Antrim, and Mid Ulster).
➡️ Check out our NEW staff photos along with our bios to put faces to names and see who does what: Northern Federation Support Unit | Northern Federation Support Unit
Got a question or want to know more about our work? Please get in touch. We have recently updated our bios following a couple of recent additions to our team
Staff Update👥
Appointment of Northern Mental Health Manager
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Sharon McVicker as Northern Mental Health Manager. In this role, Sharon will provide strategic, clinical and operational leadership for GP based mental health services across the Northern Federation areas. She will support the ongoing development of our multidisciplinary mental health teams, work closely with practices and partners, and help ensure the delivery of high-quality mental health care across primary care.
Since joining, Sharon has been out and about visiting many of our practices with Senior Mental Health Practitioners (SMHPs) and will continue to do so over the coming months. Please keep an eye out for Sharon when she visits your practice and take the opportunity to say hello.
Social Media & Marketing Placement Student
We are delighted to have Lea-Rose Cleland join us in NFSU as our first Social Media & Marketing placement student from Queens University Belfast.
Lea-Rose will be supporting our communications by helping us enhance our current channels, expand our reach, contribute to the development of our communications strategy, and promote the work of the NFSU.
Over the coming months, you may notice us trying some new ways of sharing information and engaging with you. We'll be keen to hear your feedback, so please bear with us as we test new ideas and approaches.
Appointment of Northern Quality Improvement (QI) Facilitator
We are delighted to introduce Dr Laura Caul, who has recently been appointed as the Northern GP Federation Support Unit's Quality Improvement (QI) Facilitator.
Laura's role is to support GP practices in developing and embedding Quality Improvement methodologies that help enhance patient care, improve practice processes and share learning across primary care. Working closely with practices and regional QI colleagues, Laura will provide guidance, practical support and access to improvement tools and resources to help practices identify opportunities for positive change.
Over the coming months, Laura will be building relationships with practices across the Northern area and looks forward to working collaboratively with practice teams to support local improvement initiatives, share best practice and help develop a culture of continuous quality improvement.
➡️If you would like to learn more about Quality Improvement or discuss opportunities within your practice, Laura would be delighted to hear from you via email: laura.caul@northernfsu.co.uk
Quality Improvement (QI) Updates💡
Dr Laura Caul is the QI Facilitator for the Northern FSU. She is a GP working in the Northern Trust who has postgrad qualifications in Healthcare Leadership and Digital Health.
QI provides healthcare teams with a structured approach to improving the delivery of healthcare. It brings teams together based on shared frustrations and vision for improvement, and allows learning to be shared by using structured approaches and data.
❓What the QI Facilitator can provide:
Individual and team support if you have a problem you want to solve in your practice, either in person or virtually.
Places to share your QI work with other primary care teams.
Training and resources for applying QI as a team.
Opportunities to connect with others interested in QI.
In Tech, teams don't wait for perfection before they act. They build, test, learn, and improve in short cycles. Every version, every piece of feedback, and every failure is valuable because it helps create something better. QI in healthcare works the same way. Teams make small, purposeful changes, learn from what happens and continuously refine their approach. The goal isn't to get it perfect first time but to create a culture where change is possible, feedback is welcomed, and each iteration brings better outcomes for patients and staff.
We would love for those interested in developing their understanding and application of Quality Improvement to get in contact. We would also be keen to hear from teams who have used QI tools to make improvement and would like to share their learning.
⭐Quality Improvement Conference For General Practice⭐
We are pleased to confirm the upcoming Northern Ireland GP Quality Improvement (QI) Conference, bringing together primary care teams from across Northern Ireland to share learning and showcase practical QI work.
📅Date: Wednesday 14th October 2026
⏰Time: 1pm to 5pm (lunch included)
📍Location: Glenavon Hotel
The event will focus on real improvement work from practice teams, with an emphasis on what has made a tangible difference to patients, teams, and day-to-day workload.
If you are interested in sharing your work, we would strongly encourage you to get involved — this is an opportunity to showcase your team’s achievements, share learning, and contribute to wider improvement across general practice. We welcome submissions of both current and previous QI work, including projects led or supported by students and trainees.
If you would like to discuss a potential submission or need support, please contact get in contact with Dr Laura Caul, QI Facilitator Northern FSU, who will be happy to assist you in developing your idea and preparing your submission.
NFSU Project Update
Rachael Elliott & Hannah Wilson - Project Coordinators
Federation Education 🎓
On Wednesday 20th May 2026, Causeway GP Federation welcomed over 100 clinicians and practice administration staff to The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine for another successful PBL.
Recognising the different learning needs across primary care, the event offered tailored educational programmes for both clinicians and practice admin teams. Clinicians received expert updates on menopause management, MASLD and Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Care, while practice admin staff took part in practical sessions covering Booking Foreign Language Interpreters, Deaf Awareness & BSL/ISL Equality Training, alongside hands-on Emergency Life Support (CPR) Training.
The event was extremely well received, with attendees highlighting the relevance of the topics, the quality of the speakers and the opportunity to network with colleagues from the across the area.
We would like to extend out thanks to all of our speakers and attendees for helping to make the event another great success.
Future Dates:
Save the Date - Wednesday 23rd September 2026
Planning is underway for the next Causeway GP Federation PBL event. The afternoon will once again provide an opportunity for practice team members from across the Federation to come together for an engaging programme of education, with a range of topical speakers currently being confirmed. Topics under discussion include Cardiology and Headache, with further updates to follow.
Alongside the clinical programme, we are also exploring the possibility of providing a dedicated breakout session for practice admin teams with more details to follow.
Save the Date - Wednesday 18th November 2026
Following the success of previous Hot Topics events, we are pleased to schedule another rNB Medical Hot Topics GP Update for November 2026.
This popular afternoon and evening educational event will provide clinicians with the latest evidence-based updates on common conditions encountered in General Practice, delivered by the expert team at NB Medical.
📅 Save the Date: Wednesday 18th November 2026
🕑 Time: 2:00pm – 9:00pm
📍 Venue: The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine
Further details, agenda and registration information will be shared in due course.
ℹ️ Free Educational Session: CMPA
An invitation to a free educational session on the use of hydrolysed rice formula for infants with cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA).
Following the inclusion of hydrolysed rice formula within the Northern Ireland guidance as a first-line option, we are keen to support education and awareness within primary care.
Gillian Drew, Paediatric Dietitian at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, will be delivering two sessions, one in Derry on Wednesday 16 September and another in Belfast on Thursday 17 September. Please refer to the two invites attached for further information.
Encompass Update 🚨
Practices and our colleagues continue to experience challenges with Encompass, and we appreciate the impact this is having on your workload and patient care. Please continue to report any clinical issues directly to the relevant department by ringing the relevant secretaries.
If you experience problems relating to letters or communications from secondary care, please report these via the following link: CLICK HERE
Reporting issues helps ensure they are captured, investigated, and used to support ongoing system improvements. Please be assured that discussions are happening regionally to help resolve any issues that are reported.
Kingsbridge - Direct Point of Contact 🫱🏻🫲🏻
We have recently been liaising with Oonagh, NI Relationship Manager from Kingsbridge Healthcare Group. Oonagh has shared her contact details below for practices to have a direct point of contact when needed.
"As the NI Relationship Manager for Kingsbridge Private Hospital, my focus is building and maintaining strong partnerships with GP practices and Primary Care teams across the region. I am here to be a trusted point of contact, helping to ensure that GP’s are aware of the services, consultants, and care pathways available through Kingsbridge.
The goal is to support primary care givers, improve the patient experience and develop lasting relationships that make access to specialist healthcare smoother and more connected when needed."
Oonagh Kelly - NI Relationship Manager
📞 Phone Number: 07435768926
EMIS Training Sessions 🖥️
In June, we were delighted to facilitate a series of EMIS training sessions led by Edel at Optum, with Mid and East Antrim Labour Market Partnership being our main funder and Stericycle also contributing towards the training days. We extend our sincere thanks to both Labour Market Partnership & Stericycle for enabling these valuable learning opportunities.
A total of four sessions were delivered, including two tailored for senior EMIS users and two designed specifically for medical administration teams.
While the training was primarily funded for practices within the Antrim and Ballymena Federation area, last-minute availability allowed us to open the sessions to other federations.
The training focused on practical, day-to-day use of EMIS, including:
Setting up and managing users, activities and appointment-booking configurations.
Developing an understanding of searches, including useful pre-set searches for areas such as Flu and COVID-19.
Navigating EMIS Web, Care Record and Appointment Book.
Utilising GP2GP processes with test patients.
Building and applying protocols and concepts to support clinical workflows.
Managing documents, referrals and workflows.
We are grateful to Maine Medical Practice, Cullybackey, for kindly hosting the sessions and providing an excellent venue.
Feedback from participants was extremely positive, with 100% stating that the training would be useful in practice. Attendees also rated the trainer, venue, and organisation of the sessions 5/5. Comments highlighted that “Edel was very clear and concise” and that the training session helped them learn “new and better ways of doing things”.
The feedback also demonstrated a strong demand for further EMIS training in the future, should funding become available.
Following the sessions, Edel kindly provided additional resources to support continued learning. Please contact us at info@northernfsu.co.uk if you would like these resources.
Meet the Working Group👥
Established in 2024, the group meets quarterly and brings together representatives from each Northern Federation area. It provides a valuable opportunity to connect, share experiences, and collaborate on ideas that support practices across the Federation. Members offer a valuable practice perspective on initiatives and opportunities, helping to ensure our communications are practical, relevant, and reflective of the needs of our Member practices across the Northern Federation area.
We invited any colleagues to volunteer to be part of the Working Group through our newsletters, and we're very grateful to those who put themselves forward.
Naomi Hutchinson – Business Support Manager NFSU
Rachael Elliott – Project Coordinator NFSU
Hannah Wilson – Project Coordinator NFSU
Nuala Lamont – Ballymoney Family Practice
Diane Lavery – Meadowbridge Surgery
Janice Russell – Templepatrick Medical Practice
Lisa Thompson – Maine Medical Practice
Valerie Doherty – Garvagh Health Centre
Noeleen Johnston – Garden Street Surgery, Magherafelt
If you have an idea or something you'd like the Working Group to discuss, please speak to your local representative or NFSU. Each Federation area has a point of contact, and we'd love to hear your suggestions. Your feedback and ideas help shape our communications and future projects, so don't hesitate to get involved!
CPR - Federation Funded Training🫀
Great news!! On the 7th May 2026, your Practice will have received an email to let you know your Federation will be providing funding to support Life Support Training (Including CPR) for 2026/27 across the Northern Federation Member Practices for your practice staff (Antrim Ballymena, Causeway, East Antrim and Mid Ulster).
Each practice will receive an allocated budget of £240 (inclusive of VAT) as a contribution towards one training session during 2026/27. Practices are free to arrange training in a way that best suits their needs, including continuing to use their existing provider if preferred. All training must be booked and claimed by 31 March 2027. Please refer to the email or website for further details on reimbursement and booking.
We have partnered with Bernie McKenna a reputable, local lady who has 22 years experience as a Community Resuscitation Development Officer in the NHSCT. So far, we have 19 training sessions booked with Bernie until March 2027!
Please visit our website or view the email sent on 7th May for details on how to book training or claim reimbursement Economies of Scale - Member Discounts | Northern Federation
My Surgery Website Discontinuation – Research on alternative providers
Following the recent announcement on 1 July 2026 that My Surgery Website (MSW) will be discontinuing its website hosting service. NFSU wanted to help our Member Practices with the impending deadline. We reviewed the websites of 66 GP practices across the Northern Federation area to understand which providers are currently being used and met each of these providers to discuss other providers, services, and pricing.
To find out further information please visit Economies of Scale - Member Discounts | Northern Federation or check your Practice Manager email for communication sent on 23rd July for further details.
Digital Translation Device Grant Help - Vasco V4 🤳🏻
22 Sales so far for our Member Practices
Following the communication issued by SPPG on 21st May, your practice has been allocated a maximum budget of £500 to purchase a digital translation device. The letter advised that devices had been successfully tested and piloted by MDT GP Practices in the Southern Area and proven to work effectively but did not state which device. Following further enquiries and research by NFSU, we have confirmed that the device used during the pilot was the Vasco Translator V4 Vasco Pocket Translator Devices (Please read this original letter from SPPG on how to claim for reimbursement)
Discount: Following discussions with Vasco Electronics, NFSU has secured a 10% discount for practices. This reduces the cost from £529 to £476, bringing the device within your allocated budget. Delivery costs are up to £9 (Additional cost), depending on your location.
There are two versions of the Vasco V4 available:
Vasco V4 Enterprise GDPR Compliant (10% discount) this is NOT on their website (£529, 10% off £476).
Vasco V4 Regular (NOT GDPR Compliant, may be suitable for other companies not handling patient info) on website (£429, 10% off £386)
To receive the 10% Federation discount for Vasco V4 Enterprise, please contact:Nyasha Mazhata, Customer Service Specialist, Vasco Electronics. Email: n.mazhata@vasco-electronics.com. Please mention that you are ordering through the Northern FSU Federation discount arrangement when contacting Nyasha
Economies of Scale Project 💰- Pricing Highlights of the month
Save Big on Printer Ink, Toners & Office Supplies! NEW DISCOUNTED PRICING
This month's Supplier Highlight features KBS Group Office Supplies and Printer Cartridges NI.
Through our Economies of Scale Project, Northern Federation members have access to exclusive discounted pricing on a wide range of office supplies, paper, printer ink, and toner cartridges. By purchasing through our preferred supplier partnership, practices can make significant savings while benefiting from the Federation's collective buying power. If you would like to set up a Federation discounted account or discuss your office supply requirements, please contact:
· KBS Group – Ryan Matthews📧 Ryan.Matthews@kbsgroup.co.uk
· Printer Cartridges NI – John Hendron📧 ballymena@printercartridgesni.com
📌 Important Reminder
If you use these suppliers please check your recent invoices and ensure that, from July 2026 onwards, you are being charged the special Northern Federation pricing in line with the attached pricing schedule. If your pricing does not match, please contact the supplier directly so it can be reviewed. Or alternative if you have a supplier with cheaper pricing please do let us know.
To view all of our current Economies of Scale partnerships and exclusive member discounts, please visit the Northern Federation Member Discounts section of our website. Economies of Scale - Member Discounts | Northern Federation
Your printer or ink isn’t listed? please contact NFSU to negotiate on your behalf
AccuRx Update📲
85% of practices in the Northern Federation are now using AccuRx, with several more currently on free trials as they transition from Vision to EMIS. The Federation held contract gives practices a large discount, plus a single point of contact for support. In 2026/27 alone, practices in the Northern area have saved a combined total of over £75,000.
We recently held a training/refresher session for existing and new practices on Wednesday 24th June. Thank you to the 67 people on the training session. A recording is available on our website: Economies of Scale - Member Discounts | Northern Federation
As always, NFSU are here to support you if you have any questions. If there are any Practices who have transitioned to Emis from Vision and wish to join our find our further information, contact rachael.elliott@northernfsu.co.uk
Turning everyday feedback into real life product improvements –Here is 5/18 of the improvement released in the last two weeks. Release notes (Beta)
· Sorting conversations by created time, not just latest activity
· SNOMED codes can now be added to individual messages
· Assign healthcare professional replies to other team members
· Show the open/closed status of triage forms in the inbox
· Practices can now edit & create teams in their inbox
Did you know? Many of our practices use the live chat function on the AccuRx website and rate it as a fantastic resource.
Any suggestions for improvement? If you have tips on how AccuRx could better serve GP practices in Northern Ireland, let NFSU know, we'll raise it directly with the implementation team.
Is your links taking up characters in your messages? Try a link shortner – shorturl.at or bitly.com
Practice Toolkit 🔨
You will have received an update email from us on information on Practice Toolkit on 25th June on their Northern Ireland rollout. Following feedback from practices and ongoing discussions with the supplier, it appears that a number of issues are still being addressed, along with the development of additional functionality. Our priority is to ensure that practices have confidence in the reliability, functionality and suitability of any system before making a commitment to adopt it. We also understand that Practice Toolkit has currently paused the promotion of new pilot sites while these improvements are being implemented.
At this stage, we do not feel it is appropriate to share any more information of the software until we have greater assurance that it is fully functional and meets the needs of practices in Northern Ireland. We will continue to engage with the supplier and monitor feedback from practices and keep you updated as further information becomes available.
Good News Story 📰⭐
Causeway MDT Mental Health Service : Finding Strength Together - Ending Violence Against Woman & Girls (EVAWG)
Following on from our Community Invite event in September 2025, held in partnership with Relate NI, I am delighted to share the positive outcomes from the Finding Strength Together programme, which we have since delivered in partnership with Salvation Army Ballymoney and Relate NI as part of the Ending Violence Against Women & Girls Programme.
This trauma-informed initiative provided a safe, supportive environment where women can develop a greater understanding of healthy relationships, coercive control, healthy boundaries and self-worth, while connecting with others who have shared similar experiences.
Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Of the women who completed the evaluation:
80% rated the programme as excellent and 20% as good.
100% said they felt welcomed and listened to throughout the programme.
90% reported that the programme had made a positive difference to them.
Participants described the sessions as welcoming, caring and non-judgemental, highlighting the value of being heard, learning practical skills and reducing feelings of isolation through peer support.
These results demonstrate the significant impact of partnership working in supporting women affected by domestic abuse and gender-based violence. I would like to thank our SMHP Louise McKechnie, who co-facilitated the programme, our colleagues at Relate NI and Salvation Army Ballymoney for their collaboration and commitment to delivering this meaningful programme.
MDT - Social Work
Elizabeth Craig - Social Work Lead
The Social Work MDT have been very busy over the last few months with projects, activities and training.
No Barriers Here Facilitator Training
Three members of the Primary Care MDT SW team recently completed the accredited No Barriers Here Facilitator Training, joining the first cohort in Northern Ireland to receive this innovative qualification.
Social Work Assistants Cathy Watson and Aileen Rogers and Senior Social Worker Marian Doherty completed the programme, which uses creative arts-based approaches to support future care planning. Through activities such as textiles, collage, and storytelling, the programme helps people communicate their wishes, hopes, fears, and choices in ways that go beyond traditional forms and paperwork. It is particularly valuable for people living with learning disabilities, dementia or communication difficulties, ensuring every voice is heard.
The team looks forward to introducing workshops within local communities and supporting individuals to engage in future care planning in creative, accessible, and empowering ways.
Staff have also been trained in the provision of both the Solihull Approach which provides training in child development, family wellbeing and emotional health. Practitioners will be able to provide the programme for families addressing family functioning, supporting our MDT colleagues in surgeries and facilitating help for families who are on waiting lists for secondary supports. Additionally, a number of staff have been trained to deliver on Invest in Play using based therapy to develop communication, confidence, problem solving abilities and emotional resilience. This is particularly useful for children who have neurodivergent issues.
Social Work staff highlight the significant impact of the caring role for people looking after loved ones, friends, neighbours and family. Carers support is vital to maintain people in their own homes and encourage an early intervention, prevention model of care. In June 2026 Carers’ Week took place with many events across Northern Ireland.
Causeway MDT Social Work staff organised a Carers Information Fair in Kilrea.
The event was attended by over 100 carers and brought together more than 40 organisations, providing a valuable opportunity for carers to access information, advice and support in one location.
Key findings include:
85% of attendees were female and 15% male.
65% of attendees were aged 65 years and over.
Prior to the event, 40% rated their knowledge of local services as poor and 60% as average.
Following attendance, 100% reported improved knowledge of local organisations and services, with 60% stating their knowledge had improved “a lot”.
Overall satisfaction was extremely positive, with 45% rating the event as Very Good and 55% rating it as Excellent.
These findings demonstrate the significant value of bringing organisations together to improve carers' awareness of available support and strengthen connections within the community.
Addressing Social Isolation 👥
A need to help support those potentially dealing with social isolation and loneliness was identified and Rasharkin Warm Hub was established in 2024 with the financial support of seed funding. As our population continues to grow and age, the issue of loneliness and social isolation is one of the biggest challenges facing our society. A post-programme survey was conducted with the participants with 47 replies.
Going Forward...➡️
Rasharkin Warm Hub will continue to provide residents of the village and surrounding areas with a safe, warm, and welcoming environment, specifically aimed at tackling social isolation and loneliness. The hub offers a space where existing friendships can be maintained, new connections can be formed, and community relationships can continue to grow
.
These Thursday morning sessions will continue to be facilitated by a group of highly dedicated volunteers, led by Sharon Robinson, whose commitment and support are central to the ongoing success of the Warm Hub.
JACK (Joint Approach to Community Connectivity)
Coleraine Bowling Club in partnership with Mountsandel Medical Centre facilitated an eight-week lawn bowling project, beginning on 9th July 2025. Nineteen different individuals participated in the project, learning new skills and enjoying social interaction with others.
JACK aimed to use bowling as a catalyst for social connection, fostering camaraderie and community building among individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Lawn and carpet bowls is an exceptional sport that promotes interaction among people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. It is a sport that is accessible to all ages and levels of ability/mobility. It’s one of the few activities that can facilitate competitive and social engagement across the generations, crucial for mental health and social well-being, helping to combat social isolation, loneliness and fostering meaningful intergenerational connections.
Bowling brings people together, promoting friendships, teamwork, and a sense of belonging improving overall health and wellbeing. This is evident in the evaluation findings of the project, as depicted below.
Figure 1 depicts some of the positive changes reported by participants following completion of the project, with eight-five percent of participants reporting an improvement in all areas and fifteen per cent indicating no change. This feedback is very positive and taken in conjunction with the feedback from July 2025 reinforces the rationale that bowling is an inclusive sport for people of all ages and abilities, with multiple health and wellbeing benefits. Figure 2 depicts the Changes reported by participants following completion of the project in July 2025. Whilst some participants have changed, the core majority have remained the same, which shows that continued participation in projects like this can have a significant positive impact on and individual’s health and wellbeing.
*This does not taking into consideration other factors other than participation in the bowling project.
Figure 1: Changes reported by participants following completion of the project
Figure 2: Changes reported by participants following completion of the project July 2025
AWARE/AWARE+ (Advancing Wellbeing in A restorative Environment)
AWARE/AWARE+ works with people who have chronic health problems or disabilities, and those that haven’t been accessing any other forms of support who may have become isolated socially. We encouraged participants to be pro-active in promoting positive social, mental & emotional well-being through a series of six social and therapeutic workshops held at the Ashes to Gold horticultural premises in Coleraine.
The aim of AWARE/AWARE+ is to help build social-emotional skills, including coping strategies, empathy, attention, confidence, relationships, mindfulness, and self-awareness for the participants. Groups are kept small with up to 8 participants per group and we have facilitated 3 groups in total. After the initial 6-week AWARE programme participants move onto the larger AWARE+ group who meet periodically throughout the year, encouraging participants to build on the foundations established through the AWARE project. The project is centred on real-life contexts and experiences and participants work together to resolve issues and appreciate their diverse perspectives. We have observed this directly within the group as they openly discuss personal issues and potential resolutions whilst working on their practical activity, which encourages communication and openness in a non-threatening way.
Social and therapeutic horticulture (STH) can benefit people in a number of ways:
It can be part of a person’s rehabilitation process, to help them recover and 'find their feet again' after an illness or a difficult time in their lives
It can help people recover from a wide range of conditions
It can help people to learn new skills
It can help slow down the deterioration seen when someone has a degenerative illness.
Comments from Participants:
Chatty Bus Supports Older People to Connect 🚌
As part of Loneliness Awareness Week 2026, 50 older people from the Kilrea area participated in the first Chatty Bus outing to Portstewart. The initiative was designed to provide opportunities for social connection, reduce loneliness and support positive wellbeing among older adults.
Evaluation findings showed a significant improvement in participants' wellbeing following the trip, with 80% reporting they felt really good afterwards. Attendees highlighted opportunities to meet new people, enjoy conversation, try something new and feel more connected to their community.
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 100% of participants reporting that they enjoyed the trip, felt welcome and supported, and would like to attend future organised outings. Dr McGurk, GP from Kilrea Health Centre said “The success of the initiative demonstrates the positive impact that community-based social activities can have on the health and wellbeing of older people Hopefully this is just the first of many”.
ℹ️ All of the projects and activities help to strength the holistic approach to health addressing issues in an early intervention/prevention framework. We work closely with our MDT, community and voluntary colleagues to partner in community development approaches.
Training Resources 📚
As part of our commitment to supporting learning and development across our member practices, we'd like to highlight two excellent training resources available to general practice teams.
GPNI (General Practice Northern Ireland) provides an array of webinars covering a variety of topics relevant to general practice. These sessions are a great way to keep up to date with current practice and enhance professional knowledge.
CEC (Clinical Education Centre) offers a range of webinars and training courses for both clinical and non-clinical primary care staff, supporting ongoing learning and professional development.
Please note that these training opportunities are delivered independently of NFSU. Some courses or webinars may incur a fee, so we recommend checking the details before registering.
ℹ️ Useful Resources
NI Direct: useful for employment rights, holidays, minimum wage, contracts
Law Centre NI: independent advice, employment advice, discrimination concerns, understanding rights etc.
Labour Relations Agency: mediation, employment rights guidance, employer / employee support.
Equality Commission NI: Challenge discrimination and promote equality in NI. A non-departmental public body.
Contact us
As always if you have any questions for the FSU, please do not hesitate to contact the Federation Support Unit on info@northernfsu.co.uk or 028 9620 8333
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