The gap in healthy life expectancy between Northern Ireland’s most affluent and most deprived communities has reached 13.6 years for men and 14 years for women, according to Derry GP Dr Tom Black.

The UK has experienced a two-year decline in healthy life expectancy over the past decade, leaving it second worst among 21 comparable nations, ahead only of the United States. Ninety per cent of people under pension age in the UK now report poor health due to serious illness.

In Northern Ireland, respiratory deaths are three times higher in deprived populations. Rates of mental health illness are two-thirds higher, suicide is three times higher, and smoking during pregnancy is six times higher. The mortality gap between rich and poor stands at 7.3 years for men and 5.2 years for women.

Dr Black pointed to areas such as North Down as having better outcomes, while West Belfast and the Derry/Strabane area suffer the greatest burden. He noted that the Republic of Ireland has better healthy life expectancy and longer life expectancy overall than Northern Ireland, and he expressed concern that the gap may widen given an underfunded and understaffed NHS.

Public services across Northern Ireland are deteriorating, Dr Black said, with health and education under severe pressure. He argued that Stormont appears unable to drive change or improvement, and called for scarce resources to be focused on the most vulnerable, though he acknowledged this would require tough choices and mature politics.