AQW 24118/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 12/10/2021
Answered On Date: 18/10/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health when he last chaired a meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Public Health.

Answer:

The Ministerial Committee on Public Health (MCPH) was formed as part of the structures for taking forward the cross–cutting public health strategic framework: ‘Making Life Better’. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee hasn’t met since the return of the NI Executive.

A mid-term review of Making Life Better was underway in 2019 and early 2020, however it has had to be paused due to the pandemic and the redeployment of staff to the COVID response.

However, work to implement Making Life Better, deliver on its underpinning public health strategies, and to address inequalities on the ground has not stopped, and policy development in areas such as substance use has been taken forward.

In addition, the Executive sub-group on Mental Health, Resilience and Suicide Prevention has met on a regular basis, and key public health issues have been discussed at the Executive as required.