‘This is our health’: Public urged to help shape future of NI healthcare

Teams from PHA and the Health Trusts have been engaging with the public at the 'This is our health' roadshows.

People across Northern Ireland are being urged to speak up about the future of the health service this summer as a major public engagement campaign rolls out to more than 120 events and community venues.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt says the new “This is our health” initiative is about more than hospital waiting lists or GP appointments — it is an attempt to redefine how people think about healthcare itself, with a stronger focus on prevention, personal wellbeing and shared responsibility.

The campaign comes at a time of mounting pressure on health and social care services across Northern Ireland, with rising demand, increasingly complex care needs and ongoing strain on resources.

New approach aims to make public ‘partners in healthcare’

Launching the initiative, Minister Nesbitt said the programme is designed to open a wider public conversation about health and wellbeing, while encouraging people to play a more active role in protecting their own physical and mental health.

“This is our health teams from Public Health Agency and the Health Trusts have been on the road during May, shining a spotlight on what people really want from the health service and hearing more about the small daily things people do to stay well for longer,” he said.

The campaign is being delivered by the Public Health Agency alongside Northern Ireland’s Health Trusts, with staff attending shopping centres, agricultural shows, festivals, car events and community gatherings throughout June.

Community and voluntary organisations are also supporting the initiative by helping to promote it among service users and local groups.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt and Bronagh Donnelly from PHA use the retro arcade kiosk at the This is our health roadshow.

Minister Nesbitt said the programme represents “a significant shift” in the relationship between the public and the health service.

“We want to broaden what comes to mind when people think of health and this initiative encourages a different kind of relationship between the public and the health service,” he said.

“People can choose their contribution by telling us what they could do to help protect the things they care about. In essence, we are inviting people to become partners in healthcare, not simply patients.”

Pressure on services driving push for prevention

The Health Minister warned that Northern Ireland’s healthcare system cannot continue to rely solely on increasing pressure on frontline services.

He said supporting people to improve their own health and wellbeing would help free up capacity across the wider system and protect essential services in the long term.

“Our healthcare resources are limited, demand is rising and care is becoming more complex,” he said.

“It is vital that we support individuals to improve their own mental and physical health, which will in turn free up capacity and help protect vital services.

“We cannot protect the health service by asking it to do more. We can all protect it by choosing to do things differently.”

The initiative also links closely to the Executive’s wider plans for neighbourhood care — a model intended to bring more support and services closer to people’s homes, with greater emphasis on early intervention and prevention rather than crisis treatment.

“I welcome the opportunity ‘This is our health’ provides to explore how we can rethink our own health,” Minister Nesbitt added.

“The new model of Neighbourhood Care will bring services much closer to people’s front doors, with a focus on prevention, early intervention and providing the right support when needed.

“‘This is our health’ encourages us all to take meaningful steps to improve our own health and stay well for longer.”

Public invited to complete questionnaire before July deadline

As part of the campaign, people are being encouraged to complete an online questionnaire exploring what helps them stay healthy and what matters most to them in the healthcare system.

The questionnaire asks for views on personal wellbeing, healthcare priorities and how services could work more effectively in the future.

The survey remains open until 31 July 2026.

More information about local engagement events and the public questionnaire is available at:

www.thisisourhealth.org.uk

The initiative will continue travelling across Northern Ireland throughout June as health officials seek to gather public feedback before shaping future approaches to healthcare delivery and prevention services.