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10/03/2025
Health Department Outlines Priority Themes for 'Live Better' Initiative
The Department of Health has announced the three priority themes for its 'Live Better' approach, aimed at tackling health inequalities in Northern Ireland.
Activities in the first two "Live Better" locations, the Court District Electoral Area (DEA) in Belfast and The Moor DEA in L'Derry, will focus on 'Starting Well', 'Living Well', and 'Ageing Well'. The initiative will also promote health awareness through community health fairs, health checks, and improved health literacy.
The three priority themes were identified through engagement with local stakeholders to address specific health issues within their communities. They include:
Starting Well:
• Children's oral health (The Moor)
• Childhood vaccinations (Court)
Living Well:
• Prediabetes, smoking cessation, and cancer screening (The Moor)
• Smoking in pregnancy (Court)
Ageing Well:
• Frailty and falls prevention (The Moor)
• Connecting isolated older people with local support services (Court)
Both areas will also host health fairs and offer health checks.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed the agreed outcomes during a visit to a health fair at the Shankill Shared Women's Centre in the Court area.
"Health inequalities represent one of my key areas of focus and I am pleased to see its importance reflected in the Executive's Programme for Government," said Minister Nesbitt. "Live Better has been designed to bring targeted health support directly into communities by better aligning existing resources and HSC services and focusing on making them as accessible as possible and addressing local needs."
He encouraged community participation and thanked local stakeholders, GPs, and HSC Trusts for their collaboration with the Public Health Agency (PHA).
Examples of ongoing or upcoming programs include physio-led interventions for safer mobility in older people, a community-led pre-diabetes intervention program, and various health check opportunities.
Aidan Dawson, Chief Executive of the PHA, said: "The local community organisations and primary care providers collaborating on Live Better are helping to deliver a community-centred approach to support people who are impacted most by health inequalities. The ongoing work by the PHA to help improve health and wellbeing and tackle health inequalities in communities has the potential to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes, which is complemented by the Live Better initiative." He encouraged everyone to engage in 'Live Better' activities.
Activities in the first two "Live Better" locations, the Court District Electoral Area (DEA) in Belfast and The Moor DEA in L'Derry, will focus on 'Starting Well', 'Living Well', and 'Ageing Well'. The initiative will also promote health awareness through community health fairs, health checks, and improved health literacy.
The three priority themes were identified through engagement with local stakeholders to address specific health issues within their communities. They include:
Starting Well:
• Children's oral health (The Moor)
• Childhood vaccinations (Court)
Living Well:
• Prediabetes, smoking cessation, and cancer screening (The Moor)
• Smoking in pregnancy (Court)
Ageing Well:
• Frailty and falls prevention (The Moor)
• Connecting isolated older people with local support services (Court)
Both areas will also host health fairs and offer health checks.
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed the agreed outcomes during a visit to a health fair at the Shankill Shared Women's Centre in the Court area.
He encouraged community participation and thanked local stakeholders, GPs, and HSC Trusts for their collaboration with the Public Health Agency (PHA).
Examples of ongoing or upcoming programs include physio-led interventions for safer mobility in older people, a community-led pre-diabetes intervention program, and various health check opportunities.
Aidan Dawson, Chief Executive of the PHA, said: "The local community organisations and primary care providers collaborating on Live Better are helping to deliver a community-centred approach to support people who are impacted most by health inequalities. The ongoing work by the PHA to help improve health and wellbeing and tackle health inequalities in communities has the potential to deliver better health and wellbeing outcomes, which is complemented by the Live Better initiative." He encouraged everyone to engage in 'Live Better' activities.
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