Evidence from a new pilot project to improve health outcomes in Derry will be used by the Department of Health to address unacceptable gaps in life expectancy and health outcomes.
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00:00I think I will be having a meeting this week looking at the latest stage of the
00:03development of a better initiative and Mr. Speaker it's maybe worth putting on
00:07record that that initiative is about tackling inequalities, health
00:11inequalities and I always go to one particular statistic which is two women
00:16can be born on the same day in the maternity unit in Belfast, they can grow
00:22up a mile apart but if one is in an area of the greatest deprivation and the
00:27other is living in an area of the least deprivation then their healthy life
00:32expectation, their healthy life expectation will vary by 14.2 years and
00:39I say to the house in a first world country a quarter of the way into the
00:4221st century that simply should not be countenanced and it is beginning to
00:48address that that I have asked officials to bring forward the Live Better
00:52initiative and it will be demonstrated in two areas one in West Belfast one in
00:58Derry stroke London Derry and I hope we will get from that the empirical
01:02evidence that we can make a difference and then I will take it back to
01:05executive colleagues because tackling these things is an all-executive
01:09challenge we believe it's 20% health but 40% socio-economic 10% environment and
01:1630% behaviors and behaviors include things like smoking so the tobacco and
01:21vapes bill going through Westminster will help it's also the abuse of
01:25substances including alcohol and that's why I would like executive colleagues to
01:30support the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol so I say to the
01:34member yes Live Better is very much on course for delivery in 2025