Issue 77 - Belfast BT4 • BT5 • BT16
Haemochromatosis UK report launched at Stormont
Haemochromatosis UK (HUK), a charity dedicated to supporting people affected by genetic haemochromatosis (GH), recently announced the launch of a report on the economic impact of screening for GH in Northern Ireland. The findings indicate that there is a clear economic case for routine populationbased GH screening in Northern Ireland under a range of assumptions for the prevalence of GH. The economic case is strongest for screening people in their 40s. The report was formally launched at an event in Stormont recently, opened by Mike Nesbitt MLA, Minister for Health, Northern Ireland. The report’s authors reveal, in their independent report, that there is a clear economic case for routine population-based GH screening in Northern Minister Gordon Lyons visits the Stella Maris facility in Belfast. He is pictured with: Project Group Manager Catherine McGarrell, Depaul Chief Executive Officer David Carroll and Senior Services Manager Deirdre Canavan.
Homelessness organisations doing essential work
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said there is no single, or simple, solution to the issue of homelessness in our society. But he added that, as Minister for Housing, he remains determined to play his part in tackling the problem. The Minister was speaking during a visit to the Stella Maris Project in Belfast. Run by the Depaul charity, the centre helps people who
are homeless, or at risk, and often have additional complex needs. The Minister said: “Hearing about the experiences of staff and service users at this facility, it is clear that each case they deal with is unique. Very often, it requires tailored
interventions, involving a range of organisations and agencies. However, putting a roof over someone’s head must be the starting point. “There is also an appreciation that homelessness is ultimately about the individuals themselves.
Accommodation is key, but it has to be accompanied by support services which recognise the often complex needs of those who are facing homelessness.
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Ireland under a range of assumptions for the prevalence of GH. • Screening saves lives, saves money • For every £1 spent on screening, over £3 of benefit is generated (*) • The case for screening is strongest for people in their 40s both men and women (#) Over the past 3 years, Haemochromatosis UK has been running crosscommunity screening programmes across Northern Ireland (and in other areas of high prevalence across the UK). These demonstrate that 1 in 10 people in NI are at risk of iron overload from genetic haemochromatosis