Improving Stroke Services in Northern Ireland (PDF 194 KB)

Stroke can strike anyone, any age, anytime. Today in Northern Ireland around 4000 people each year have their lives and the lives of their families dramatically changed by stroke. A significant number of these could be avoided by simple lifestyle changes. More exercise, less alcohol and more attention to diet can make a major difference. Cutting down or cutting out smoking will make the most significant lifestyle contribution to a reduction in stroke and the enormous personal impact that it brings. åÊThese recommendations seek to make improvements in the key areas of prevention; treatment and rehabilitation of stroke patients in a modern health service setting. The accompanying standards outline the levels to which we must aspire, in the delivery of these services. åÊ

Independent Review of Autism Services final report (PDF 565 KB)

Independent Review of Autism Services final report

Inequalities Monitoring Update Second Bulletin 2007 (PDF 1952 KB)

Despite some relative improvements, there is a continuing health gap between the most deprived areas and NI overall. This is most evident in the potential years of life lost, infant mortality rates, teenage births, standardised admission rates to hospitals and cancer incidence rates indicators. The suicide rate within deprived areas, although still considerably higher (almost 50% higher), is now closer to the overall NI rate. Despite the reduction in the inequality gap, there was a recent increase in the number of deaths attributed to suicide across all areas. The extent to which this increase in suicides actually indicates an increase in the problem or it is due to recording/reporting practices changing over time has not been established. Life expectancy has been increasing in recent years for both males and females in both deprived areas and NI overall and there is no evidence of a narrowing of the inequality gap. The gap between deprived areas and Northern Ireland was maintained for circulatory and respiratory standardised death rates. The gap between the proportion of the deprived population suffering from a mood or anxiety disorder and that in NI overall has also remained fairly steady. Deprived areas actually fared better than NI generally for relative hospital waiting times and ambulance response times (although this may be an urban issue). åÊ

Public Attitudes to Health and Social Services (PDF 1.15 Mb)

Survey of the attitudes of the general public to health and social services

Audit of Maternity Services Executive Summary( PDF 915 KB)

Audit of Maternity Services Executive Summary

Audit of Acute Maternity Services (PDF 4894 KB)

Audit of Acute Maternity Services Final Report - October 2006

Annual Statistics on Smoking Cessation Services in NI

Annual Reports and Deprivation Maps

Future of Fertility Services in Northern Ireland (From People to Parents)

Future of Fertility Services in Northern Ireland (From People to Parents)

Disability Equipment Services in Northern Ireland Regional Summary (PDF 1815 KB)

March 2003 - main findings of the study, key recommendations and the way forward

Diabetes Services in Northern Ireland Regional Summary August 2002 (PDF 2052 KB)

August 2002 - main findings of study, key recommendations and way forward