Health and Society Blog Archive
Here you will find an archive of Health and Society Blog articles published before 1 May 2022, divided into their relevant categories.
Children and Families
In 2016 a man called Lance Hart shot his wife Claire and daughter Charlotte outside a swimming pool in Lincolnshire, England, before turning his shotgun on himself. Some of…
By Lesley-Ann Black & Dan Hull This article examines levels of childhood obesity and inactivity in our children in Northern Ireland and asks what more can be done to…
A significant number of European Union laws and policies have a direct role in protecting and promoting children’s rights. What has the EU achieved in the area of cross-border…
Community Relations
One area that has created considerable political division in Northern Ireland is how to deal with a contested past. Broadly, ‘dealing with the past’ tends to refer to issues…
Culture and Sport
This two-part blog post is a follow-up to a series of three articles about Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) and the Programme for Government (PfG) draft Outcomes Framework. Yesterday, part…
This two-part blog post is a follow-up to a series of three articles about Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) and the Programme for Government (PfG) draft Outcomes Framework published recently….
This blog post explores some of the themes in the Department for Communities draft strategy for sport and physical activity and compares plans for Northern Ireland (NI) with similar…
Equality
While women are increasingly better educated than men, they earn less, feel less financially secure, provide the bulk of unpaid care, have smaller pensions, face greater hardship in later…
By Aidan Stennett & Eóin Murphy Please note: we have posted a new version of this blog article using the most recent data, see here. This article examines the gender…
Following decades of piecemeal development, governments are increasingly seeking to address the common problem of fragmented, uneven and incoherent equality legislation….
Health and Social Care
This article looks at the issues faced by Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in Northern Ireland in supporting patients in primary and community care. It sets out the groups that…
This article is the first in a series looking at mental health and illness in Northern Ireland, covering relevant reviews, policies, reports, services, treatments and access to these services….
The growing pressure on primary healthcare services is reported in the media on an almost daily basis – a key reason being that people are living longer, often with…
Housing
What is the distinction between an estate agent and a letting agent? Why is it important for consumers in Northern Ireland to distinguish between the two? Are the negative…
The private rented sector plays a vital role in the Northern Ireland housing market. There has been a focus on the regulation of the sector in recent years in…
Homelessness strategies across Europe have traditionally focused on a housing-led approach. This approach prioritises treatment and addiction recovery. Service users transition through stages of temporary accommodation before permanent housing is…
Immigration
This paper presents a brief demographic profile of Northern Ireland, updating a previous article on this subject in 2016. It shows emerging trends in the population, and comparisons with…
The most recent Global Report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) states that over 71 million people were ‘of concern’ in 2017. This includes refugees, asylum…
Please note: we have posted a new version of this blog article using the most recent data, see here. This article presents a brief demographic profile of Northern Ireland,…
Third Sector
The Third Sector makes a substantial, but at times unrecognised, contribution to society in Northern Ireland. It is a key provider of health/social care; housing/housing support; education and training;…
Welfare
Foodbanks are an increasingly useful resource for many in Northern Ireland. They provide a valuable service to communities and are continually helping to feed those in need. An interactive…
The Welfare Reform Bill was undoubtedly one of the most contentious pieces of legislation to come before the Assembly in the last mandate. Where have we got to and…