Leaders from government, health, academia and the voluntary sector meet in Belfast to move women’s health from listening to action
The Women’s Organisation joined leaders from government, health, academia, regulation, charities and the voluntary and community sector for its Women’s Health Advocacy & Systems Change Roundtable in Belfast. The event brought senior figures from across the UK and Northern Ireland together to explore how to move beyond listening to women and towards real systems change in women’s health.
The roundtable comes at a pivotal moment for women’s health. Maternity safety scandals continue to make headlines, and the UK government has renewed its Women’s Health Strategy after admitting the previous version “was set up to fail.” Northern Ireland is separately exploring its first dedicated women’s health strategy. The Women’s Organisation convened the roundtable to bring people who can act on that momentum into one room
Chaired by Dr Ruth Hussey CB, OBE, DL
Dr Ruth Hussey CB, OBE, DL chaired the discussion, bringing outstanding leadership to a packed agenda.
Contributors included:
- David Holdsworth. Chief Executive Officer of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, and Frances McCandless, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, who spoke about the role charities play in building trust, influencing policy and strengthening communities.
- Catherine McClennan, whose experience leading women’s health transformation across Cheshire and Merseyside brought practical insight into how partnership, prevention and system leadership improve outcomes for women.
- Colleagues from the Department of Health NI, Department for Communities and Department for the Economy NI, alongside representatives from the NHS, academia, regulators and the voluntary sector.
- Professor Faye Ruddock DL, Charles Kwaku-Odoi DL MFPH, Heather Moorhead, Gillian Lewis, Paula Tweedie, Jenny Potter, Karen Meehan, Rhonda Murphy, Mairaid McMahon, Annette Palmer, Davina McCay, Cherrie Arnold and Suzanne Costello of the All-Ireland Institute of Public Health.
The event was hosted by Louise Coyle and Danielle Roberts of the Northern Ireland Rural Women’s Network (NIRWN). Partners Derry Well Woman, Community Foundation Northern Ireland, the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN) and NICVA also supported the roundtable.
A clear message: systems change, not just data
Contributors brought a range of perspectives, spanning policy, regulation, frontline delivery and community trust. Despite this range, the discussion returned to one point: data alone does not close the gender health gap. Closing it takes systems change, built by people across health, government and the voluntary sector working towards the same goal.
Because Northern Ireland is exploring its first dedicated women’s health strategy, organisers say the timing of the roundtable is significant. Getting the right people talking now helps shape what that strategy could look like.
What’s next?
The Women’s Organisation is turning the insight from the roundtable into action. Organisations working in women’s health, health inequalities or systems change across the UK and Northern Ireland are invited to get in touch.
