To ask the Minister of Health whether there will there be a dedicated cross-departmental approach between his Department, the Department for Communities, the Department for the Economy, the Department of Education and the health service to create a cohesive return-to-work strategy for disabled individuals.

The Department for Communities is developing a new Disability and Work Strategy for Northern Ireland, which will align to the Executive Disability Strategy currently in development. In developing the draft Disability and Work Strategy, Department of Health officials have participated within co-production, led by Department for Communities, which has included the Departments for Economy, Education and Finance; as well as a wide range of stakeholders and those with lived experience of disability.

The new Disability and Work Strategy for NI will seek to support people with disabilities and health conditions to move closer, into and progress in work.

The Department of Finance continues to lead engagement with Whitehall on the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) and Post-2026 Funding. Part of this work will help economically inactive people, including disabled people, into employment. It is supported by all NI Departments through the cross-departmental funding policy with the Interdepartmental Working Group.

In addition, the Department for Economy’s Economic Vision seeks to close the employment gap between individuals with and without a disability.

At a more local level, my Department fully supports the provision of Day Opportunities which offer creative work-based placements and a wider range of provision is being encouraged to meet assessed needs.