The aim of the conference was to bring together people from the communities worst affected by health inequalities with politicians, policy makers and professionals.Our hope was that together they could explore and confront the issues involved, the choices that face us as a society and what those choices say about our beliefs and the sort of society we wish to build.

Above all we aim that the conference should play some part in bring about ACTION and reductions in HEALTH INEQUALITIIES.

Effective methods of closing the gap are already known and tested. The World Health Organization report, "Closing the GAP in a generation" sets out the rationale and ideas.All we have to do is find our way of using them.

Some thoughts after the Conference: From an Inishowen Development representative

So our Health Inequalities Conference has come and gone.

The general view seems to be that it went very well and Farset International staff had given us a wonderful setting.

BUT WAS IT A SUCCESS?

i.e. did it
(1) raise awareness and understanding amongst
---- our communities
---- our politicians
---- and everyone else
(2) has it identified good practice and the way to real change.

Perhaps we have a way to go yet to success but it’s not a bad first contribution.

Thanks to all those who participated before and during the conference including those from

• he community and voluntary groups
• the statutory sector
• our local media especially the Andersonstown News, The Shankill Mirror and Northern Visions.
• Our politicians --- fewer than we had hoped but Cathal Mullaghan and Tim Attwood Belfast City Councilors stuck with us throughout and Councilor and MLA Fred Cobain joined us for a part of the day. And of course our Minister of Health Michael McGimpsey addressed the conference and stayed to hear our three opening speakers. At the same time we must seek to actively involve many more of the body politic in our society if we are to make progress on the issue of Health Inequalities.
• Our friends and colleagues form Inishowen
• And some who don’t easily fit any classification

The Working Group which planned and organised the Conference will be having a review meeting on 6th November and will from that decide what we must do to keep up momentum and build on the conference.

Thanks also to the speakers at the conference, all local as it happened. They made a variety of inputs that complimented each other so well.

• Baroness May Blood
• Dr Jane Wilde
• Dr George O’Neill
• Anne McMurray
• Malachi O’Doherty
• Tina McCann
• Jackie Redpath
• Mary Hinds

We do have the people in Northern Ireland to make a difference; Sir Michael Marmot says it can be done in our generation.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

P.S. Have just seen Malachi O’Dohertys input to Hearts and Minds on BBC T.V. on Thursday night (29th October) It delivered a strong message on Health Inequalities to a much wider audience. Click here to view the video on this website.