Reducing Inequalities: Getting Results 2019
Gearing up to Reduce Inequalities
Community, voluntary and statutory sector professionals from right across Northern Ireland have completed a training programme in Derry aimed at reducing health inequalities. This is the third year of the Reducing Inequalities: Getting Results programme, which has been developed by Belfast Healthy Cities with support and facilitation from Erica Ison WHO Expert Advisor and Specialist in Health Equity in All Policies. This year the programme was rolled out in partnership with Developing Healthy Communities in Derry.
The training aims to build capacity to reduce inequalities affecting health and wellbeing and to develop a professional network to enhance collaborative working through the following objectives.
• To strengthen understanding of inequalities affecting health and
wellbeing
• To create a greater awareness of the capacity organisations have to
reduce inequalities affecting health and wellbeing
• To promote an increased understanding of the use and benefits of data,
tools and approaches to reduce inequalities in both policy and practice
• To enhance existing expertise to develop policy and to deliver services
that target inequalities across Northern Ireland
Speaking at the end of the programme, Joan Devlin, Chief Executive of Belfast Healthy Cities, said: “Right across our communities people are living longer, but we are still seeing an increased gap in the life expectancy between people living in areas of high deprivation and those living in the least deprived areas.
“With this programme we hope to see an increased level of partnership work to achieve better outcomes in tackling inequalities for our communities. The participants now have developed the skills and resources to deliver practical and positive change to the people they work with every day.”
Erin Richardson, Chief Executive of Developing Healthy Communities, added: “The community and voluntary groups and statutory agencies we work with on a daily basis across Derry City & Strabane see first hand the growing health inequalities in our communities. They want to be equipped to work towards reducing these inequalities, and with this programme they are able to increase their understanding of how this can be done - both through policy development and practical learning from across Europe.”
Reducing Inequalities: Getting Results aligns with the commitments of the Belfast Charter, which was adopted by mayors and political leaders who attended the World Health Organization International Healthy Cities Conference held in October 2018. This includes leading by example, tackling inequalities and promoting governance and leadership for health and wellbeing through innovation, knowledge sharing and city diplomacy for health.