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Belfast Healthy Cities

Our vision is that Belfast is recognised globally
as a healthy, equitable and sustainable city

Healthy Cities 21st Century

Getting better health results by reducing inequalities

The challenge of how to address increasing health inequality was discussed at a seminar on 18 January. The Reducing Inequalities: Getting Results seminar took place at Queen’s University Belfast and saw more than 100 professionals across sectors come together to hear speakers from Slovenia and Manchester share their experience of tackling inequalities through direct policy action and preventative measures.

Delegates were welcomed by Cllr Tim Attwood, Deputy Chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of Belfast City Council. The key speaker was Dr Mojca Gobec, Public Health Director General at the Ministry of Health, Slovenia, which has been highlighted by WHO Europe as a good practice example of effectively reducing inequalities. Other speakers included Paul Etches, Area Manager, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service; Malachy Corcoran, Assistant Principal Officer, Health and Wellbeing Programme at the Department of Health in the Republic of Ireland, and Mark Browne, Director of Strategic Policy, Equality and Good Relations in The Executive Office.

The Reducing Inequalities: Getting Results seminar was arranged to launch a flagship capacity programme of the same name. The programme aims to build capacity on recent developments, tools and approaches in addressing inequalities. It has been designed to complement the work of the members of the Belfast Strategic Partnership and other partner organisations from the public, community and voluntary sector and will take place for the first time in January-March 2017. Further information on the programme is available through the links below or by contacting Anne McCusker in Belfast Healthy Cities’ office.