Tag Archives: Clipperstown

Still Greater Awareness of the Dangers of Smoking during Pregnancy needed: Beggs

On highlighting some local areas with over a third of all expectant mothers smoking, Ulster Unionist Health spokesperson, Roy Beggs MLA has said that a concentrated effort is needed to further increase awareness of the dangers of mothers smoking during pregnancy and during their children’s early years. Roy Beggs MLA said: “Protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is vital to ensuring they have a healthy start in life. The statistics available on the Children & Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) website make for shocking reading. They reveal that in some wards in Northern Ireland the percentage of mums who smoke is as high as 55% in the Old Warren ward, Lisburn, despite the health risks to their children. Locally in my constituency of East Antrim, 41% of mothers in the Clipperstown ward smoke, and 39% of mothers in Sunnylands and Blackcave still smoke.” The Ulster Unionist member of the Health … Continue reading

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Roys speaks on Health Committee Report

Speaking in a debate at Stormont, Roy Beggs MLA has endorsed a Report on Health inequalitiites just published by the Committee on Health, Social Services and Public Safety: Roy said: ” I am pleased to support the motion highlighting the Committee’s review of health inequalities. When we reviewed the Statistics and Research Agency’s figures, it was clear that there were huge variations in life expectancy. The average female life expectancy in Northern Ireland is 80·5 years, but, in the 20% most deprived areas, it moves down to 77·9 years. For a male from one of the 20% most deprived areas, it is 71·5 years. Those are quite dramatic variations in life expectancy, and, with that, there is associated illness. A range of factors are thought to contribute to that, such as an increased risk of mortality because of drugs, alcohol and smoking and an increased risk of suicide. There is also … Continue reading

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