Commenting on the first sub-regional bulletin of the Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System (HSCIMS) the Minister said: “These figures provide a useful insight into the health inequalities that exist at Health Trust level in Northern Ireland.

“Health inequalities are the product of a wide range of social, economic and health related issues.

“Although there have been some relative and welcome improvements across a number of indicators (for example, teenage births, infant mortality, admission rates to hospital, cancer incidence and death rates), in many areas the health inequality gaps remain large.

The Minister emphasised the need for persistence and focus in order to see reductions in health inequalities envisaged.

He continued: “Dealing with health inequalities involves all of us working together to break the cycle of inequality.

"I am determined to continue to address health inequalities – both through the current Investing for Health Strategy, with its particular focus on the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods and population groups, and through the work of the Public Health Agency which I established last year.

The Minister concluded: “These new structures will bring about better co-ordination and delivery of effective interventions. They will provide support and capacity for local government and other public sector organisations.

“There will be more co-ordinated and enhanced cross-sectoral working. More informed and targeted advice for the public and prevention, early intervention and management built into the design of the broad range of health and social services.”