Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care
The voice of organisations in the integrated health and social care system in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Confederation for Health and Social Care (NICON) is the voice of the organisations working across Northern Ireland’s integrated Health and Social Care (HSC) system. NICON is part of the wider NHS Confederation, which also works in England and Wales.
NICON is the only membership body for the whole of the HSC system in NI. NICON’s membership comprises all six HSC Trusts (including the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service), as well as the 'regional' HSC bodies, such as the Public Health Agency (PHA) and the Business Services Organisation (BSO).
Additionally, NICON’s Associate Membership Scheme is open to commercial organisations, not-for-profits, and professional bodies working in the health and social care sphere in NI. We also recently launched a new Northern Ireland Primary Care Network (NIPCN) - the first network of its kind in NI.
Contact Us
Address: NICON, HSC Leadership Centre, 12 Hampton Manor Drive, Belfast, BT7 3EN
Email: contact@niconfedhss.org
Tel: 028 9536 1779
Please direct any media enquiries to Robyn Scott, Policy & Communications Manager, on robyn.scott@niconfedhss.org or 074 8530 3672
What we do and who we are
What we do
NICON supports health and social care leaders across Northern Ireland.
We exist to:
- Influence policy and other areas of interest (including providing an 'employers’ voice') on behalf of our members;
- Support and brief members;
- Inform and influence the media and politicians about key issues in the HSC;
- Connect members with other stakeholders and with the wider NHS Alliance.
NICON is led by its Director, Heather Moorhead. The management of its overall strategy and activities is in the hands of the Northern Ireland Confederation Management Committee. This group comprises HSC Chairs, Chief Executives and Directors, representing HSC Trusts, regional HSC bodies and smaller, specialist HSC organisations.
Who we are
Heather Moorhead
Director - Heather Moorhead was appointed Director of NICON in May 2010.
Vicky Lisk
Member Services Officer - Vicky joined NICON in 2022.
Robyn Scott
Policy and Communications Manager - Robyn joined NICON in March 2024 as Policy and Communications Manager.
Elly McGinn
Policy and Programme Manager - Elly McGinn joined NICON as Policy and Programme Manager in November 2025.
Thomas Blain
Programme Officer - Thomas joined NICON in August 2024. He is currently Programme Officer for NICON.
Siobhán McEntee
NI Primary Care Network Lead - Dr Siobhán McEntee leads the new Northern Ireland Primary Care Network. She was appointed in October 2025.
Northern Ireland Primary Care Network
A network to support, connect, and empower primary care stakeholders in NI to maximise their influence and impact.
Get in touchAssociate Membership Scheme
Become part of the only membership body for the whole of the health and social care (HSC) system in NI.
NICON represents all HSC bodies in Northern Ireland, including the six health trusts. Our Associate Membership Scheme is designed to facilitate greater collaboration between the HSC system and the wider health and social care community in Northern Ireland. Membership is primarily by organisation.
Our Associate Members play a key role in shaping our work. You’ll be kept up to date through our member communications and alerted to opportunities to influence the health and social care agenda in NI. We also prioritise the involvement of Associate Members in our annual conference and exhibition, which is over-subscribed every year.
By joining NICON as an Associate, you will also gain access to additional events and resources offered by our parent organisation, the NHS Alliance.
Who can join?
Membership of the scheme is open to organisations that work in the health and social care sphere in NI in some capacity. We currently have just under 50 Associate Members, including commercial organisations, professional bodies (including royal colleges), and not-for-profit organisations. NICON aims to provide a unique forum in which colleagues from across these sectors can network and learn together.
Associate member benefits
The key benefits of associate membership include:
- Priority involvement in the NICON annual conference and reduced attendance rates.
- Subscription to our weekly newsletter, which covers the latest health and social care news, political monitoring, and updates from NICON and the wider NHS Confederation. Submissions from our members are welcome!
- Regular email updates, geared specifically towards Associate Members, sent by the NICON team.
- Free attendance at NICON seminars and webinars (usually six to ten per year considering topical issues), as well as access to a variety of free NHS Confederation member events.
- Access to recordings of past NICON events, including our recent ‘Grasping the Nettle’ webinar series.
- Opportunities to sponsor NHS Confederation activities or work in partnership on key events.
- Access to our website, which includes all NICON and NHS Confederation publications.
- Support and information from the NICON team, including signposting to useful connections within the HSC system, other regional networks, and the wider NHS Confederation.
- Opportunities to input into NICON’s work and share your views on health and social care policy with us.
How to join
The scheme is now open to new applicants. To request associate membership of the Northern Ireland Confederation, please download a copy of our associate membership application form (linked below) and return to Robyn Scott.
Membership runs from April to March and renews annually. Organisations interested in joining during the financial year can do so on a pro-rata basis. Membership renewal packs are sent to members at the end of each year.
NICON Associate Members 2025/26
Commercial
Representative Bodies / Other
- British Association of Social Workers NI (BASW NI)
- British Dental Association (BDA)
- British Medical Association (BMA)
- European Connected Health Alliance
- General Medical Council (GMC)
- Health Innovation Research Alliance NI (HIRANI)
- Institute of Public Health in Ireland
- National Institute for health and Care Excellence (NICE)
- NI Healthcare Leadership Forum
- Pharmaceutical Society NI
- Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care
- Resolute Public Affairs
- Royal College of GPs
- Royal College of Occupational Therapists
- Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health
- Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
- Royal College of Surgeons