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Health in NI: Do ambulances respond to less than 20% of suspected heart attacks within the target time?
30 April 2026
CLAIM: Fewer than one in five suspected heart attack and stroke patients in Northern Ireland get an ambulance in target time, compared to almost half across the border. Just 18.5% of Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) Category 2 calls were responded to within the service’s 18-minute target, whereas 45% of equivalent RED calls in the Republic were responded to within 19 minutes during 2025.
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In a Written Question to the Health Minister answered on 28 March, SDLP MLA Justin McNulty asked the minister: “For his assessment of the figures
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Gambling in NI: Are 3% of adults addicted to gambling?
15 April 2026
CLAIM: In Northern Ireland, around 3% of all adults meet the threshold for gambling addiction while 14% of people who gamble say they have bet more than they can afford to lose.
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During a 16 March debate on the criminal justice system, Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan claimed that: “Around 3% of adults meet the threshold for
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Health in NI: Do 40% of women wrongly believe cervical smear tests for ovarian cancer?
7 April 2026
CLAIM: 40% of women mistakenly believe cervical screening tests for ovarian cancer.
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During a 16 March debate on a women’s health strategy, DUP MLA Diane Forsythe claimed that: “Target Ovarian Cancer reports that 40% of women mistakenly
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Mental health in NI: Does mental ill health cost us £3.4bn per year?
1 April 2026
CLAIM: Poor mental health costs Northern Ireland £3.4bn every year. Mental health receives around 7% of the health budget – a lower proportion than elsewhere in the UK and Ireland. Around 80% of the actions in the current mental health strategy are paused because of a lack of funding.
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In a 16 February debate in the Assembly around mental health data, Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn claimed: “Mental ill health costs our society £3.4
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Health in NI: Are deaths due to alcohol at the highest levels on record?
19 March 2026
CLAIM: There were 397 alcohol-specific deaths in NI in 2024, the highest number on record and an increase of 80% on ten years ago. The death rate in the most-deprived communities is almost four times higher than in the least-deprived areas. 60% of alcohol-related hospital admissions come from just 3% of the population. In Scotland, minimum unit pricing for alcohol cut the number of deaths wholly attributable to alcohol by 13%.
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In a Member’s Statement to the Assembly about minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol, UUP MLA Alan Chambers claimed: “On 11 February 2026, the latest
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Health in NI: Are Northern Ireland’s breastfeeding rates among the lowest in Europe?
15 January 2026
CLAIM: Northern Ireland has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in Europe.
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In a press release published on 4 December 2025 about a Private Member’s Bill to support breastfeeding that she is developing, Sinn Féin MLA Linda
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Mental health in NI: Do one in 20 people aged over 50 suffer from PTSD?
9 January 2026
CLAIM: Around 5% of people in Northern Ireland aged 50 or more have post-traumatic stress disorder, with the Troubles a major contributor to this figure.
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On 6 December 2025, the Sunday Times published an article with the following headline and subheadline: “The Troubles’ lasting scar: 1 in 20 over-50s in Articles
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Health in NI: Do GPs consult with 200,000 people per week?
8 December 2025
CLAIM: GPs see over 200,000 patients per week, according to the British Medical Association.
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INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
In a post on Instagram on 27 July, the British Medical Association (BMA) Northern Ireland claimed that: “GPs see over 200,000 patients a week. That’s
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Autism in NI: Are over 17,000 children on the waiting list for an assessment?
21 November 2025
CLAIM: More than 17,000 children are currently on a health trust waiting list ahead of an assessment for autism.
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In a statement to the NI Assembly on 14 October, Alliance Party MLA Nuala McAllister claimed: “Over 17,000 children in Northern Ireland are on a
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Employment in NI: Does Northern Ireland have the largest disability employment gap in the UK?
7 November 2025
CLAIM: Northern Ireland has the largest gap between the disability employment rate and the employment rate for those without a disability of any region in the UK. According to the latest figures, 38.2% of people with a disability have a job, compared with 83.8% of people with no disability.
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During an Assembly debate on 30 September about the skills gap between young people and businesses, Alliance Party MLA Michelle Guy claimed: “Northern Ireland continues
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Lough Neagh crisis: Does most of the phosphorus in the lough come from agriculture?
16 October 2025
CLAIM: Over 60% of the phosphorus in Lough Neagh is a result of agriculture, while a third comes from the wastewater system and septic tanks.
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During an Assembly debate on Lough Neagh on 9 September 2025, SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone said: “The only way in which to address [the Lough
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Suicide in NI: Does Northern Ireland have a deepening suicide crisis?
10 October 2025
CLAIM: Northern Ireland has a suicide crisis that is getting worse. In 2023, 221 people died by suicide, which is an 8% increase on the previous year.
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INACCURATE WITH CONSIDERATION
[If you, or anyone you know, may be at risk of harm there are people you can talk to. Help is available. In Northern Ireland