This is our health is a public conversation about how we make Northern Ireland a healthier place, where people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

We are exploring:

• What can you, your family and your community do to help stay well and help others stay well?
• What do you need health and social care services to protect, the things that really matter to you?

What people share will help shape a collective promise about how we each play our part, focusing on where we are uniquely placed to make the biggest difference.

This is our health is led by the Department of Health and the Public Health Agency with support from all Health and Social Care organisations across Northern Ireland.

The design of the engagement is supported by expertise from Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Leadership Centre.

This is our health is not a traditional consultation. It is a wider public conversation designed to:

• understand real experiences,
• build shared responsibility for health and wellbeing,
• help shape a collective promise about how we work together.

Health and care services are under growing pressure, and people’s lives, needs and expectations are changing.

If we want better health and wellbeing in the long term, we cannot rely on services alone. Much of what shapes health happens in everyday life at home, in families, workplaces and communities. So this work is about building shared capacity, understanding what people and communities can do and making sure health and social care focuses its effort most where it is needed.

Yes. You can take part anonymously. We do not ask for names when people take part online or in person.

We do ask a small number of optional demographic questions, such as partial postcode, age group, gender, ethnicity, carer status and whether someone has a long-term health condition or disability. This helps us understand who is being heard and whose voices are missing, but it cannot be used to identify individuals.

No. You don’t need any special knowledge or preparation. There are no right or wrong answers. We are interested in your real experiences.

Yes, if you want to. You can focus on whatever feels most important or pressing to you. Many people care deeply about one particular issue or experience, and that is still valuable.

At the same time, the engagement also creates space for a wider conversation about staying well and how health and care can work better for us overall.

What people tell us will be brought together and analysed to identify patterns and themes across Northern Ireland.

Insights will be used to help shape a practical collective promise, a shared understanding of:

• what people and communities can do to support health and wellbeing, and
• what the health and social care system needs to do better, focusing on what really matters.

When insights are shared publicly, they are anonymised and will not identify individuals. People may choose to share stories in public with us on social media and we may reflect some of those stories publicly – but we will always gain permission before we do that.

This work is being delivered in phases. As it progresses, we will:

• continue gathering views online and in person
• share updates about what we are hearing
• publish emerging themes and stories (anonymised)
• explain how insights are shaping the next stage of the work

Updates will be shared on this website as the project develops.