Crisis of addiction and mental health linked to poverty and male life expectancy in decline, says McLaughlin - video Dailymotion

Crisis of addiction and mental health linked to poverty and male life expectancy in decline, says McLaughlin

Transcript

00:00 It is true to say that there are huge imbalances in our health outcomes.

00:04 Although this is a crisis that affects almost everyone, it does not affect everyone equally.

00:12 In recent years, the figures actually show that the male life expectancy has declined

00:17 in the most deprived areas of Belfast and Derry, while in the Western Trust male life

00:23 expectancy is almost seven years lower than the Trust average, and 24 of our health outcomes

00:30 are worse than the Northern Ireland average.

00:33 In my city and region, we have a crisis of addiction and poor mental health, driven by

00:39 poverty and the failure of government to address that poverty.

00:42 Yet it appears that our health service provision has been regionally blind, failing to step

00:48 in to address the disadvantage, with a weighted deprivation formula that is not apparent at

00:55 all and that actually fuels the poor health outcomes.

01:00 We actually need a different approach, one that prioritises disadvantage and directs

01:06 investment where it is most required.

01:18 I hope that this motion is supported across the House, but more importantly that it actually

01:22 leads to change for patients who are desperately in need.

01:26 Finally, I thank our healthcare workers right across this province, who are doing amazing

01:31 work under very difficult circumstances.

01:33 I call out to our community and biology sector, who have stepped in and have lost funding

01:39 over the years, and also deserve our grateful thanks.