Mike Nesbitt

Former Minister for Health, Mike Nesbitt chatting to Dr. Tom Black on his arrival at Abbey Medical Practice, Abbey Street - Western Federation Support Unit, in February. (Photo - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

Dr. Tom Black says Mike Nesbitt did 'difficult job well' after shock resignation

Colum Eastwood

Eastwood: Only way to save health service is via more cross-border cooperation

Health Mike Nesbitt. Pacemaker

'Potentially lifesaving' free Meningitis B vaccine roll out

Foyle MLA Ciara Ferguson.

Ferguson presses Nesbitt on roll-out of bowel cancer screening for the over 50s

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt pictured during a visit to the North West Cancer Centre, Altnagelvin Hospital with Western Trust Interim Chair, Brian Telford; Chief Executive, Karen Hargan and Director of Unscheduled Care, Medicine, Cancer and Clinical Services, Geraldine McKay along with Pharmacy and Cancer Services staff.

Nesbitt visits North West Cancer Centre and meets patients, staff and volunteers

Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan.

Tackling obesity plans welcomed

Mike Nesbitt has defended the introduction of a new regional breast cancer service because it has reduced the variation between the ‘best’ waiting times in the Western Trust and the ‘worst’ in the Southern Trust.

Nesbitt: New breast cancer service has reduced variation between WHSCT and SHSCT

Cara Hunter

Cara Hunter says ‘severely suicidal’ citizen was unable to access treatment

The late Tom Frawley, who passed away on Wednesday.

Mike Nesbitt: Tom Frawley was a ‘mentor’ for whom ‘serving public came first’

Resident doctors’ industrial action outside Altnagelvin Hospital, yesterday. (Photo - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

Resident doctors go on strike in Derry

Mandy Mitchell, Micky Glenn and Rita Devlin

Derry nurses pick up awards at RCN NI Nurse of the Year Awards 2026

Mark Durkan has said increasing care home capacity in Derry can play a central role in reducing pressure at Altnagelvin Hospital.

Durkan: Increasing care beds in Derry can help reduce hospital pressure

An expectant mother had to sleep on the floor in the Altnagelvin A&E on Monday evening, Julie Middleton told MLAs at Stormont this week.

Middleton: 'Pregnant lady had to sleep on the floor in A&E'

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt

Nesbitt: Resource funding in addition to £73m for capital build required for A&E

Altnagelvin A&E

New 111 service would ease pressure on staff at Altnagelvin A&E: McLaughlin

Mike Nesbitt

WHSCT received £2.2m of £9.4m allocated for children’s respite services
The Western Trust received £2.2m of a £9.4m tranche of funding for children’s respite services in the past financial year.
Kevin Mullan

A business case is due to be submitted imminently for a new regional endometriosis centre of excellence in the Western Trust.

Business case for new regional endometriosis centre of excellence

Mark Durkan

Durkan asks for breakdown of 1,032 excess deaths due to long waits in EDs

Covid-19 vaccines are being rolled out from this week.

Spring Covid 19 vaccine roll out under way

Colum Eastwood has welcomed investment in an Emergency Dental Clinic.

Colum Eastwood welcomes investment in Emergency Dental Clinic in Western Trust

Dr. Mukesh Chugh with Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Derry’s Dr. Mukesh Chugh finalist at the Blue Light NI Awards

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press Eye

Durkan calls for urgent fuel support for carers and nurses

Group pictured at a previous launch of Hive’s Movember campaign billboard at Free Derry Wall. Photo: George Sweeney

Hive among Cancer Charities Grant Scheme recipients

Derry Well Woman Endometriosis Support Group has received written confirmation from the Health Minister that "plans and investment for endometriosis services will commence in 2026.

‘Long-overdue step in right direction' - Derry Well Woman Endometriosis Group

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt

Cost of new Emergency Department at Altnagelvin in Derry estimated at £72.8m

Pádraig Delargy

Summer schemes at special schools to go ahead following talks and U-turn

Firefighters had to respond to 59 house fires that were started deliberately in Derry over the past five years, it's been revealed.

59 out of 302 (20 per cent) of Derry house fires were started deliberately
Firefighters had to respond to 59 house fires that were started deliberately in Derry over the past five years, it's been revealed.
Kevin Mullan

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt with Caroline Temple, Youthlife manager.

Nesbitt announces Core Grant funding for seven Derry organisations

Altnagelvin A&E

New Altnagelvin A&E among ‘long, expensive list of capital projects’

Included are Foyle Search and Rescue Charity Manager, Christina McKeegan and PIPS Suicide Prevention Charity Chief Executive Renee Quinn as they issued a joint statement calling for mental health to be fully funded.

Foyle Search & Rescue urges action to fully fund mental health services

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. Picture: Pacemaker.

Report into Real Living Wage for social care workers

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt (centre) with Foyle Hospice senior management team and Vice Chair of the Board. Front row (L-R): Paddie Blaney (Vice Chair), AnnMarie Casey (Director of Nursing & Clinical Care). Back row (L-R): Dr Paul McIvor (Medical Director), Sheila Duffy (Director of Income Generation and Communications), Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Donall Henderson (Chief Executive), Terri Sythes (Human Resources and Administrative Services Manager).

Nesbitt praises ‘crucial work’ of Foyle Hospice

Minister for Health, Mike Nesbitt with Dr. Tom Black and Dr. Tom Frawley, chairman, Western Health and Social Care Trust, at Abbey Medical Practice, Abbey Street - Western Federation Support Unit, on Wednesday. (Photo - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

Health Minister visits Derry GP to see benefits of Multi‑Disciplinary Teams

Altnagelvin Hospital.

Derry A&E like ‘something you would see in a Third World country’

Jon Burrows

Darren Guy welcomes expected UUP leadership of ex-Derry commander Jon Burrows

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt

‘Significant investment’ going into 40 years old Altnagelvin A&E

Sinn Féin councillor Caroline Devine has voiced concern that schools are operating under food standards guidance that is almost 20 years old.

Council concern schools operating under food standards guidance past use by date

Robert Carmichael, the East Londonderry UUP Association Chairman.

Political opinion: Give us tougher mercy workers protection laws, UUP tells Just...

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND - SEPTEMBER 21: Mike Nesbitt. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Health Minister urges public to use HSC‑approved apps to stay well this winter

Altnagelvin A&E

New A&E at Derry’s Altnagelvin is ‘years, not months, away' says Nesbitt

(L-R) Prof David Robinson, South Eastern Trust’s Executive Director of Nursing; Oriel Brown, Lead Nurse at the Ulster Hospital’s Vaccination Centre; Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Rachel Spiers, PHA’s Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager.

Flu vaccine call as cases double

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt

Nesbitt concerned at lack of dedicated delirium beds with zero in Western Trust

A significant rise in the number of suicides has again underlined the need for urgent support for people struggling with their mental health.

Urgent need for renewed focus on mental health

Sinéad McLaughlin

Longer waits for urgent breast cancer appointments ‘devastating’ says McLaughlin

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has said he believes ambulance waiting times at Altnagelvin have been improving.

Altnagelvin ambulance waiting times improving and ‘double waits’ at ED reducing

Nurses from the Royal College of Nursing union on strike at Altnagelvin Hospital in 2019. DER5119GS - 008

Derry councillor backs nurses over pay parity as potential strike action looms

SDLP councillor Martin Reilly has voiced concern that only one dental practice in the district is participating in the Dental Access Scheme.

Reilly raises concern over absence of Derry dental practices from access scheme

Altnagelvin A&E

WHSCT acutely aware of ‘extreme pressures’ on Altnagelvin A&E

The Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has described a psychiatrist shortage in the Western Trust as a ‘massive postcode lottery'.

Psychiatric shortage in Western Trust a 'massive postcode lottery’ says Nesbitt

Mike Nesbitt

‘Nothing will be perfect’ until Altnagelvin gets new A&E, says Nesbitt

Professor Alex Miras, Professor Liam Maguire (PVC of Research, Ulster University) Professor Peter Bazira (Dean of Ulster University School of Medicine), Ruairí McHugh (Mayor of Dery City and Strabane), Professor David Gibson

Ulster University launches major cross-border health projects in €20m investment

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Trans rights activists take part in a protest against the ban on hormone blockers on April 20, 2024 in London, England. After Dr Hilary Cass delivered her report on NHS gender identity services for children and young people, analysis found most research underpinning clinical guidelines, hormone treatments and puberty blockers to be low quality and the treatments for gender dysphoria have been suspended. The Trans community are protesting against this ban. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Rainbow Project expresses concern as Cass gender services review commissioned

Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael McBride.

Chickenpox vaccination for children from 2026

SDLP MLA Mark Durkan warns ‘red flag’ patients are now waiting nine weeks for an appointment with fears this could stretch to 12 by late September.

DERRY JOURNAL Editorial: Lengthening waits raise breast cancer red flag alert

Mark Durkan has claimed lengthening waiting times for red flag breast cancer assessments in the Western Trust are being recorded following the introduction of a new regionalised model in May 2025.

Durkan claims new regional breast cancer system has 'undermined' WHSCT service

News you can trust since 1772

© 2026 Iconic Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved.Terms and Conditions Privacy notice