In Northern Ireland there is a fifteen year gap in healthy life expectancy between the least and most deprived areas (health inequalities report 2026). This continues to drive stark differences in outcomes, with poorer health linked to reduced quality of life, increased pressure on health services, and higher levels of economic inactivity.
HIRANI, the Academy of Medical Sciences and the BioIndustry Association (BIA) are coming together to host a cross-sector forum to explore how inequality should reframe innovation, not just as technology deployment, but as targeted interventions for people and place-based health systems.
Speakers will include Professor Lourda Geoghegan, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health NI, Shaun Grady, Chair of BIA and AstraZeneca UK, Professor James Naismith, Vice President (Non-Clinical), the Academy of Medical Sciences, Professor Chris Molloy, Chief Executive Officer, BIA, Professor David Gibson, Ulster University, Professor Ruth Hunter, Queen's University Belfast and the Health and Social Care Public Health Agency.
This will take place at Templemore baths, a regenerated community space in East Belfast which was established in the 1890s as a result of a sanitary reform movement pioneered by Dr A.G. Malcolm from the need for the provision of washing facilities in urban areas at a time when cholera and other infectious diseases posed a great danger to life and health.
This forum aims to bring together cross-sector leaders from academia, industry, the health service, community groups and government to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the translation of innovation into real patient benefit focused around addressing health inequalities. This will highlight not only success stories but also the real-world barriers to progress and to promote action on what could be done differently.
*Please note, there is a waiting list for this event and tickets will be issued the week before it takes place.