Belfast residents urged to have their say in citywide wellbeing survey

Belfast residents urged to have their say in citywide wellbeing survey

People living in Belfast are invited to share their thoughts and ideas about emotional health and wellbeing by completing the Belfast Strategic Partnership’s ‘Have your say Belfast’ survey, arriving in every home throughout the city this week.

The Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP) was set up in 2011 by the Public Health Agency (PHA), Belfast City Council and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to address the significant levels of inequality across the Belfast area.

‘Have your say Belfast’ seeks views from the people of Belfast on their own emotional health and wellbeing, that of their family and communities. There is also an option to add ideas to improve future support. The survey replies will be part of the information used for planning future developments over the next few months.

Speaking at the survey’s launch, Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, PHA, and current Chair of BSP, said: “When we plan for the future, it is vital to listen to local people and find out how they are feeling as well as ways to improve how we work together.

“Replies from ‘Have your say Belfast’ will inform our plans to address and improve the factors that influence good emotional wellbeing. This will help us all to concentrate our efforts on preventing ill health and challenging the avoidable and unjust differences in health and wellbeing experienced by the best and the worst-off across Belfast, so I urge all residents to participate and share their views.”
‘Have your say Belfast’ should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

Irene Sherry, BSP Community Member added: “I would encourage everyone in Belfast to complete the survey over the next three weeks. It will make a huge contribution to our future plans. John McGeown, (Belfast Health and Social Care Trust) and I, as joint chairs of the BSP Emotional Health and Wellbeing Group, would like our work to be as fully informed as possible in terms of what issues people are currently experiencing. Getting feedback from people who live in all parts of the city is crucial and in order to assist this we will be organising workshops in the community to enhance participation.”

Paper copies of the survey will be delivered to every household in the Belfast City Council area within the next few days and completed surveys should be sent to:

FREEPOST RSZR-KLGL-RJKU
Ms Carrie Crossan
Public Health Agency
18 Ormeau Avenue
Belfast
BT2 8HS.

‘Have your say Belfast’ survey closes on 24 August 2012. You can also complete the survey online by clicking this link. Details of workshops organised to facilitate community input, will also be on this website (www.haveyoursaybelfast.com), in due course.

Further information

For further information or copies of the the survey, contact the PHA on Tel: 028 9027 9388 or email carrie.crossan@hscni.net.

For media queries contact the Public Health Agency on 028 9055 3663

Picture Caption

Launching the Belfast Strategic Partnership’s ‘Have your say Belfast’ survey, enabling Belfast people to have their say on new emotional wellbeing plans for the city are (L-R): Irene Sherry, Joint chair, Emotional Health and Wellbeing Group, and  Community representative, Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP); Anne Bill, Chief Executive, FASA; Dr George O’Neill, Belfast Local Commissioning Group; Peter McNaney Chief Executive, Belfast City Council; Dr Eddie Rooney, current BSP Chair and Chief Executive, Public Health Agency and Colm Donaghy, Chief Executive, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. ‘Have your say Belfast’ survey closes on 24 August 2012.

Notes to the editor
  • The current BSP Chair is Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, PHA. This role rotates annually between the Chief Executives of the PHA, Belfast City Council and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
  • Issued on behalf of the Belfast Strategic Partnership, supported by the Belfast Health Development Unit