‘Should governments make us healthier? Shifting the focus of public policy’

2023 was a significant milestone for the Institute of Public Health (IPH), which marked its 25th anniversary with a special event on 4 October.
Set up prior to the signing of the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement in 1998, IPH has been shaping public health policy across the island of Ireland for 25 years. The Institute undertakes research, provides evidence and analysis for public health policy development, and works with a variety of stakeholders at local and national level in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
To mark this anniversary, IPH invited Professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Martin McKee, to give a keynote address: ‘Should governments make us healthier? Shifting the focus of public policy’. In his address, Professor McKee argued that governments will only achieve the best possible outcomes for their people if they invest in their health. Healthier populations are more resilient to threats, get better results from education, contribute to greater economic growth, and create more cohesive societies. And all of these, in turn, contribute to better health, creating a virtuous cycle.
As part of this event, a panel of invited guests responded to Professor McKee’s address and discussed the potential to reframe health policy and investment. The panel included ESRI health economist Dr Anne Nolan; SDLP MLA and Health and Wellbeing Spokesperson Colin McGrath; CEO of Empower Adeline O’Brien; Sinn Fein TD and Health Spokesperson David Cullinane; and Director of the Community Development and Health Network Joanne Vance.
This short video summarises key messages from the keynote address and panel discussion.
Find out more about the Institute and it’s work at publichealth.ie.