Introduction

One of the key actions identified by partners when establishing the Northern Investing for Health Partnership was the need to develop baseline information profiles that would provide an indication of the broad health and wellbeing status of people living in the Northern Health and Services Board area. The availability of this baseline information is important in that it allows the partnership to:

• Measure locally where the population stands against the targets set out in the Investing for Health Strategy
  
• Help identify local priorities where action needs to be focused
• Provide a baseline against which to monitor progress
• Have access to a shared resource that is valuable in supporting the wider work of each Partner organisation.

In taking forward the development of the health and wellbeing profiles the initial focus has been to access that information that is routinely collected by partner organisations on a local council basis and to present this collectively. This information is now available and has been grouped under four localities shown below.*

Over the coming period it is proposed to further develop the locality profiles and where possible focus the level of analysis specifically on those areas across the Northern IfHP area where it is acknowledged the levels of health and wellbeing are poorest and health inequalities greatest.

In order to take this work forward it has been agreed that an inter-agency Information Sub-group should be formed. This group will provide the strategic direction for this work. Resources have also been made available by the Northern Health and Social Services Board to employ an Information Officer to support the Partnership in further developing locality profiles.

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