Health Minister Robbie Butler carried out his first official visit today when he met staff at Bryson Charitable Group in Belfast.

The Minister heard about the work the charity is doing to deliver social care, tackle poverty, inequality and social need in local communities across Northern Ireland and beyond; and the critical role they play in the delivery of Homecare services.

Minister Butler said: “I was delighted to visit Bryson Charitable Group this morning on my first full day as Health Minister. I heard more about their vision to end poverty in Northern Ireland, meet people at their point of need, and make the country better for everyone.

“The link between poverty and poorer health outcomes is clear, and tackling health inequalities is one of my key areas of focus as Minister. It was fascinating to hear more from Bryson on the work they are doing in this space, in both rural and urban communities. It was equally clear that Bryson, and other independent and charity partners, are pivotal in the delivery of social care services, meeting the homecare needs of thousands of individuals every day.

“Working alongside our Community and Voluntary Sector, and independent providers, is vital to delivering better health outcomes for all. Organisations in this sector are key partners for the Health and Social Care (HSC) system and they will play an integral role in my Department’s Neighbourhood Model of Care, which aims to bring health and social care as close to people’s front doors as possible.

“I want to thank Bryson for their warm welcome and interesting discussions, and I look forward to meeting more Community and Voluntary groups in the coming months."