Too Many Dying Too Young, Says Top Medic

NI's top medic has been discussing both government policy and also how individuals can do more to improve public health.

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Michael McBride said too many people in Northern Ireland were dying prematurely and that too many people still died too young or live with preventable medical conditions.

In his report, published today, Dr McBride (pictured) said his main priority was to maintain and improve the health of the public.

"The general health of the public is improving and although life expectancy is increasing too many people still die too young or live with conditions that could have been prevented," he said.

"There is still an unacceptable gap in health status between the most and least advantaged in our society. Where you live should not determine how long you live," he said.

"Our Investing for Health Strategy and the various lifestyle strategies which it embraces have made a significant contribution to improvements in health.

"However, if we are to properly address many of the causes of ill health we need to go beyond the Health Service and work in partnership at all levels across government."

The top medic also highlighted how the introduction of legislation had, in the past, changed behaviour and improved health.

Dr McBride said: "Alcohol misuse and its impact on health in both the short and longer term is an important concern for Northern Ireland.

"I welcome the recent consultation on Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol. This would be a very desirable public health intervention given the clear relationship between price and consumption.”

The report also covers a number of other important health issues including; the planned introduction of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men aged 65 from June 2012, the extension of bowel screening to age 71 from April 2012, the impact of climate change and extreme weather events on health and delivery of health and social care, and the progress made in reducing MRSA and C.difficile infections among hospital in-patients.

The report also highlighted the increase in the number of organ transplants in the last year.

In conclusion, Dr McBride said: "We should all discuss our wishes with our family and join the Organ Donor Register."

(BMcC/GK)