This National Service Plan (NSP) 2025 has been prepared in line with our strategic priorities for the coming years, including objectives set out in Sláintecare, towards the goal of universal healthcare. This annual Plan is informed by best available evidence that points to opportunities for a better health and social care system for all. It is supported by government budget increases over recent years to address both growing service demands and required investments for necessary reforms. Population demand for person-centred and timely services is increasing. At the same time, challenges persist such as demographic pressures, staff recruitment, development and retention, and the need for modernisation of digital enablers for greater efficiencies. Requirements to meet these challenges include strong governance overseeing clear, measurable ambitions, while also fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and operational excellence. We know we can do better. This Plan outlines how our teams are focusing on optimising value for the public funds entrusted to us while delivering high-quality, safe and efficient services. Productivity is our overarching focus to ensure that everything we do yields maximum benefits for patients / service users, their carers, our teams and the system as a whole. At a time of outpacing demands, innovative thinking and different ways of working will be required to meet the growing and changing expectations and needs of both our patients / service users and our staff.

P.37 4.2. Social Inclusion
Social inclusion works across a range of statutory services in partnership with the community and voluntary sectors to address health inequalities and improve access to services for vulnerable and excluded groups.
In 2025, the focus will be on the following key areas:
1. Social inclusion health services: Further enhance services through development of a Social Inclusion Engagement Framework, promoting the uptake of the Introduction to Ethnic Data Collection and contribute to the development of the DoH inclusion health framework
2. Addiction services: Expand programmes in the community, including:
• Increasing access to community-based drug services and supporting the national roll-out of the integrated community alcohol services
• Progressing a case management approach for adolescent addiction between social inclusion and the mental health clinical programmes
• Progressing integrated care pathways and harm-reduction responses, including the operation of the medically supervised injecting facility and expanding residential addiction care facilities for people experiencing homelessness
• Strengthening preparedness for synthetic drugs by expanding monitoring methods and increasing the availability of naloxone in partnership with key stakeholders
• Supporting the ongoing pilot initiatives for those experiencing difficulties with gambling and gaming, and report on outcomes to ensure interventions provided are evidence-based and in line with the commissioned literature review. Support a gambling awareness campaign in conjunction with HSE Communications and Public Affairs
• Contributing to the development of the new national drugs strategy
3. Homelessness: Maintain essential public health measures, consolidate advancements in healthcare delivery for people experiencing homelessness and provide health supports for 256 new Housing First tenancies. Work towards improving and expanding access to healthcare services for people experiencing homelessness

Appendix 1: Receiving care at the right time - Indicators:
Mean time in clinics from opioid agonist assessment to treatment commenced

Substance use:
% of substance users (over 18 years) for whom treatment has commenced within one calendar month following assessment
% of substance users (under 18 years) for whom treatment has commenced within one week following assessment

Problem alcohol use:
% of problem alcohol users (over 18 years) for whom treatment has commenced within one calendar month following assessment
% of problem alcohol users (under 18 years) for whom treatment has commenced within one week following assessmen