4th December 2025
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has recruited 201 newly qualified social workers in the last two-and-a-half years.
This significant number reflects a huge collaborative effort between the Department of Health, the Trust, and universities and colleges to maximise the direct recruitment of social work graduates into Health and Social Care roles. It follows the ending of the use of recruitment agencies to employ HSC social workers which came into effect in July 2023.
Belfast Trust was delighted to welcome Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to meet with a number of our newly qualified social workers recently.
Health Minister with Belfast Trust staff. L-R: Eileen McKay, Deputy Executive Director of Social Work; Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Patricia Gordon, Belfast Trust Acting Chair; Kerrylee Weatherall, Interim Executive Director of Social Work and Children’s Community Services.
Kerrylee Weatherall, Interim Executive Director of Social Work and Children’s Community Services at Belfast Trust said: “We welcomed the visit from the Minster of Health and were delighted that the newly qualified social workers had the opportunity to share with him the pride they have in what they do. While the supply of social workers in Northern Ireland continues to be a challenge and vacancies remain, the Trust is fully committed to continued workforce planning with the Department of Health and other key partners such as the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (Social Care Council) to ensure a workforce with capacity to deliver high quality services across our communities.”
The Trust will have appointed 84 newly-qualified social workers to vacant posts by the end of this year as a result of collaborating with the Department, universities and colleges, and specialist healthcare recruitment services company Healthdaq. While many have completed their professional training in Northern Ireland, a number of have been attracted here from universities in England and Scotland, including some originally from non-EEA countries.
Kerrylee added: “Belfast Trust has worked intensively to widen the scope of our recruitment and are proud of the support developed for new entrants to the profession.
“This year, the Trust has welcomed a number of new recruits from universities in GB and welcomes the diversity that this has brought to the workforce. A number of initiatives have been progressed to enhance staff well-being and ensure that staff are well supported in the transition from student to professional.”
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “I was delighted to be able to meet and take questions from some newly-qualified social workers who have started with the Trust in recent months.
“They spoke so eloquently and passionately about their roles and the wider challenges within Health & Social Care.
“I really value the vital contribution social workers make to communities across Northern Ireland, day in and day out. In recognition of this, my Department is engaged in an extensive programme of social work workforce reform, including significant investment in additional social work training places as well as investment in a range of actions to ensure those who choose this career are well-supported.”