Here - Health Promotion Agency
Here - Health Promotion Agency
Here - Health Promotion Agency
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Annual report<br />
2005 -- 2006
Mission:<br />
To make health a top<br />
priority for everyone<br />
in Northern Ireland.<br />
Getting in touch<br />
Our address:<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland<br />
18 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast BT2 8HS<br />
Tel: 028 9031 1611 (voice/minicom)<br />
Fax: 028 9031 1711<br />
Media line:<br />
028 9031 1514 (office hours)<br />
Press and broadcast media enquiries only<br />
Email:<br />
info@hpani.org.uk<br />
Normal business hours:<br />
8.45am – 5.00pm Monday to Thursday<br />
8.45am – 4.30pm Friday<br />
Websites:<br />
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk<br />
www.breastfedbabies.org<br />
www.drugsalcohol.info<br />
www.getalifegetactive.com<br />
www.smokefreenorthernireland.com<br />
www.thesnackpack.net<br />
www.up-2-you.net<br />
The Board:<br />
The Board of the <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for<br />
Northern Ireland (HPA) meets four times each<br />
year and members of the public may attend<br />
these meetings. The dates, times and locations<br />
of these meetings are advertised in advance in<br />
the press and on our website.
Contents<br />
P 2 Chair’s statement<br />
P 3 Chief Executive’s report<br />
P 4 The role of the HPA<br />
P 5 Investing for <strong>Health</strong><br />
P 6 The settings approach<br />
<strong>Health</strong> in the community<br />
P 7 <strong>Health</strong> promoting health service<br />
P 8 <strong>Health</strong>y schools<br />
P 9 <strong>Health</strong> promoting workplaces<br />
P 10 <strong>Health</strong> promoting prisons<br />
P 11 Smoking<br />
P 12 Drugs and alcohol<br />
P 13 Nutrition and oral health<br />
P 14 Physical activity<br />
P 15 Breastfeeding<br />
P 16 Maternal and child health - CEMACH<br />
P 17 Sexual health<br />
P 18 Mental health<br />
P 19 Research and evaluation<br />
P 20 <strong>Health</strong> protection<br />
P 21 Communications<br />
P 22 International collaboration<br />
P 23 Corporate services<br />
P 24 Operating and financial review<br />
P 31 HPA Board<br />
P 32 HPA staff and directors<br />
P 33 References<br />
Using this report<br />
This report highlights the broad range of work<br />
carried out by the HPA and shows how this<br />
work has contributed to meeting our objectives<br />
detailed in our business plan for 2005–2006.<br />
Where relevant, we have included an<br />
information sign - i - to other websites that<br />
offer more information on specific issues. The<br />
online Portable Document Format (PDF) file of<br />
this report also has live web addresses that<br />
you can click for direct access to the relevant<br />
website.<br />
This report is intended to be an overview of the<br />
year’s main accomplishments. For more<br />
detailed information on our work, please<br />
visit our corporate website at<br />
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk<br />
Many of our publications can be downloaded<br />
as PDF files from this website. It also provides<br />
links to the HPA’s other health-related<br />
websites and to many other relevant sources of<br />
information on health and health promotion.<br />
Other formats<br />
Copies of this Annual report may be produced<br />
in alternative formats on request. A PDF file of<br />
this document is also available to download<br />
from our corporate website at<br />
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk<br />
i<br />
i<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 1
Chair’s statement<br />
This year has been of<br />
special significance for<br />
those of us who work in<br />
public health, particularly<br />
since <strong>Health</strong> Minister<br />
Shaun Woodward<br />
announced the<br />
government’s intention to<br />
end smoking in all<br />
workplaces and enclosed public places from<br />
April 2007 – an historic decision.<br />
The HPA has been foremost among the many<br />
organisations that have called for workers and<br />
members of the public to be protected from the<br />
damaging effects of second-hand smoke. With<br />
partners in the ‘Smokefree’ coalition, we thank<br />
the Minister, celebrate this decision and look<br />
forward to all workplaces going smokefree.<br />
Although overall smoking rates have fallen over<br />
the past 15 years, tobacco is still the single<br />
greatest cause of premature death and avoidable<br />
illness here – claiming up to 3,000 lives annually.<br />
We will continue to work to highlight the<br />
dangerous effects of tobacco.<br />
We further contributed to work on another<br />
Ministerial priority through representation on the<br />
suicide taskforce that led the development of a<br />
regional suicide prevention strategy. 1,2 We<br />
facilitated much of the wide-ranging consultation<br />
process including hosting a major international<br />
conference on suicide prevention that helped to<br />
inform the development of the draft strategy. We<br />
now look forward to playing a leading role in its<br />
implementation.<br />
The HPA’s role in the development and<br />
implementation of programmes of support and<br />
action in a range of settings, as part of the<br />
implementation of Investing for <strong>Health</strong> (IfH), the<br />
regional public health strategy, has seen much<br />
progress, with the areas of health promoting<br />
hospitals, schools, workplaces and communities<br />
now starting to see positive changes.<br />
Important international work as a World <strong>Health</strong><br />
Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre<br />
continued, including membership of the WHO<br />
Countrywide Integrated Noncommunicable<br />
Diseases Intervention (CINDI) Programme.<br />
We continue to actively support the sharing of<br />
best practice with colleagues locally, nationally<br />
and internationally.<br />
During the year the findings and<br />
recommendations of the Review of Public<br />
Administration (RPA) with regard to the HPSS<br />
were announced. 3 As a special agency of the<br />
Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and<br />
Public Safety (DHSSPS), the HPA will be<br />
incorporated into the new regional <strong>Health</strong> and<br />
Social Services Authority (HSSA). We look<br />
forward to the implementation of the RPA and<br />
the improved coordination of public health<br />
programmes that should result, and are confident<br />
that we will play our part in helping deliver the<br />
anticipated outcomes. In looking forward to the<br />
integration of the HPA with the HSSA, we do<br />
recognise that effective management of these<br />
change processes will be crucial to ensure<br />
continuity of the work that the HPA is tasked to<br />
deliver.<br />
This year the HPA was one of the first<br />
organisations to be re-accredited under the<br />
Investors in People new profile framework and on<br />
behalf of the Board I congratulate the Chief<br />
Executive and staff for this considerable<br />
achievement. I also extend thanks on behalf of<br />
the Board to all members of staff who have<br />
remained focused, dedicated and productive,<br />
and who consistently deliver high quality work. In<br />
addition, I would like to welcome staff from the<br />
Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child<br />
<strong>Health</strong> (CEMACH), recently integrated into the<br />
HPA, and wish them well in this important area of<br />
public health work.<br />
My thanks go to our dedicated Board members<br />
for their invaluable input, knowledge, direction<br />
and patience, and to our colleagues at the<br />
DHSSPS for their continued advice and support.<br />
Alice Quinn<br />
Chair<br />
2 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Chief Executive’s report<br />
The HPA continues to work<br />
to promote health and to<br />
tackle the determinants of<br />
disease – poverty, isolation,<br />
poor social support and<br />
reduced access to<br />
education and employment.<br />
We achieve this through<br />
interventions ranging from<br />
policy development at government and<br />
organisational levels, to implementing innovative<br />
and effective programmes with partners in the<br />
community, voluntary and statutory sectors.<br />
This year’s Annual report contains examples of<br />
our responses to major public health challenges.<br />
In tobacco control, the ‘Smokefree’ coalition,<br />
formed and led by the HPA to advocate for<br />
legislation for smokefree work and public places,<br />
has become a major voice for action on smoking<br />
and now includes over 50 organisations from the<br />
community, voluntary and private sectors.<br />
We have also been involved in a range of policy<br />
and programme initiatives to help tackle the<br />
important issue of obesity. The Fit futures report,<br />
which we helped to develop, highlights the need<br />
for action with children and young people to help<br />
them make the right health choices around<br />
nutrition and physical activity. 4 These are<br />
complemented by initiatives such as<br />
Breastfeeding Welcome <strong>Here</strong>, Cook it! and<br />
Fresh Fruit in Schools.<br />
To promote mental health and wellbeing we<br />
continued to collaborate with a number of<br />
community-based partnerships, especially on<br />
suicide prevention, which was highlighted this<br />
year as a ministerial priority. This important work<br />
indicates not only the role we play in cooperative<br />
relationships at community level, but also<br />
advising the DHSSPS on important health policy<br />
issues. We look forward to contributing to the<br />
implementation of the strategy, meeting the<br />
challenges and promoting opportunities for<br />
further partnership working. 2<br />
CEMACH has been integrated into the work of<br />
the HPA. This has meant development of new<br />
processes and procedures to ensure that the<br />
important role of this, and other confidential<br />
enquiries, is maintained and developed in<br />
partnership with other <strong>Health</strong> and Personal<br />
Social Services (HPSS) bodies and patient<br />
representative organisations.<br />
The settings approach to improving, protecting<br />
and promoting health acknowledges the<br />
importance of promoting health where people<br />
live, work or learn. We continued work in this<br />
area through Work Well, further development of<br />
healthy schools and hospitals, and development<br />
of other healthy settings.<br />
We have an important role in ensuring<br />
information is accessible for everyone to make<br />
better informed decisions about all health issues,<br />
especially for specific audiences supporting<br />
health protection initiatives such as immunisation<br />
and screening. Our electronic information base is<br />
already one of the most accessible ways for the<br />
public and professionals to achieve this.<br />
All of our work is underpinned by evidence and<br />
research, and the HPA has worked hard to<br />
develop the necessary skills and capacity to<br />
collate and process a wide range of information,<br />
and to disseminate it to others.<br />
Following the announcement that the HPA is to<br />
be incorporated into the HSSA, we have begun<br />
working to ensure that our major public health<br />
role is not disrupted during the period of<br />
transition to new structures. There is some<br />
uncertainty about the future but, as is evident in<br />
this report, staff continue to perform to the<br />
highest quality standards and are ready to meet<br />
future challenges.<br />
In preparation for these, I want to thank all staff<br />
and the Board for their commitment and hard<br />
work during the year, and look forward to our<br />
continued success in promoting public health.<br />
Dr Brian Gaffney<br />
Chief Executive<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 3
The role of the HPA<br />
The HPA is working to maintain, improve and<br />
promote the good health of everyone in Northern<br />
Ireland, and to reduce inequalities in health. It is a<br />
special agency of the DHSSPS, operating under<br />
the direction of a management Board.<br />
The HPA is responsible for providing regional<br />
leadership and direction and is a major regional<br />
provider of health promotion services. The IfH<br />
strategy has set priorities and goals for improving<br />
public health, and the HPA is committed to<br />
playing its part in both influencing and<br />
implementing the values outlined in the strategy. 1<br />
Partnerships<br />
An important element of our work is the<br />
development of alliances with statutory, voluntary<br />
and community groups that have a role to play in<br />
promoting health and empowering individuals,<br />
groups and communities to become actively<br />
involved in decision making that impacts on their<br />
health and environment.<br />
The HPA places great importance on the<br />
integration of all facets of its work, which is<br />
planned and delivered through a combination of<br />
business areas:<br />
• policy development and advice – providing<br />
policy advice on issues related to public health<br />
and health promotion to the Minister for <strong>Health</strong><br />
via the DHSSPS, and to other Government<br />
departments;<br />
• research and evaluation – undertaking primary<br />
and secondary research to inform, test and<br />
evaluate health promotion policy development<br />
and practical interventions;<br />
• the provision of information to the public and<br />
professionals – the design and implementation<br />
of integrated communications targeted at<br />
professionals or members of the general<br />
public;<br />
• training and professional development –<br />
developing and supporting the knowledge and<br />
skills of staff in the voluntary, community or<br />
statutory sectors to improve health;<br />
• corporate business services – undertaking<br />
work to fulfil corporate responsibilities and<br />
objectives.<br />
Review of Public Administration<br />
The HPA welcomes the opportunity to further<br />
embed the culture of health improvement within<br />
the broader HPSS that is presented by the<br />
Northern Ireland Executive’s RPA and, to a lesser<br />
extent, the DHSSPS Review of the Public <strong>Health</strong><br />
Function in Northern Ireland. 3,5<br />
It was announced that the HPA would be<br />
incorporated within a new regional HSSA.<br />
Overall the reorganisation should improve the<br />
efficiency and effectiveness of the health service.<br />
The HPA is confident, however, that its role in<br />
public health will continue.<br />
CEMACH<br />
The Northern Ireland regional office of CEMACH<br />
moved during the year from Castle Buildings,<br />
Stormont, to the HPA. CEMACH Northern<br />
Ireland is part of the UK-wide enquiry that aims<br />
to improve the health of mothers, babies and<br />
children by applying lessons to be learned<br />
through this work. We welcome its contribution<br />
to the wider work of the agency.<br />
Future developments<br />
The future promises to be challenging for the<br />
HPA, with an increasing health improvement<br />
agenda set against competing resources and the<br />
change management processes required for the<br />
new role of the HPA. In particular, the HPA will<br />
continue to develop the environment to allow the<br />
introduction of the smokefree legislation in April<br />
2007.<br />
4 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Investing for <strong>Health</strong><br />
The IfH strategy sets priorities and goals for<br />
improving public health and wellbeing and<br />
reducing health inequalities in Northern Ireland. 1<br />
The purpose of IfH is to ensure the long-term<br />
process of health improvement brings our health<br />
status up to those of the best regions in Europe.<br />
The HPA is committed to playing its part in<br />
ensuring the strategy is taken forward. We<br />
continued to fulfil business commitments by<br />
influencing and implementing the strategy’s<br />
agenda at a regional level and collaborating with<br />
programmes and initiatives at a local level.<br />
Second biennial conference<br />
Working alongside the DHSSPS and the four IfH<br />
partnerships, we facilitated the planning and<br />
organisation of the second biennial IfH<br />
conference in November. Almost 400 delegates<br />
attended the conference, entitled ‘Challenges<br />
and opportunities’. This highlighted the extensive<br />
range of work contributing to improving health<br />
and reducing inequalities within Northern Ireland.<br />
A range of speakers addressed the conference,<br />
highlighting the importance of engagement,<br />
partnership working, and measuring and<br />
demonstrating impact. Local examples of action<br />
reflecting the goals and objectives of IfH were<br />
presented during workshop sessions as well as<br />
27 papers.<br />
Update 2005<br />
In collaboration with the DHSSPS, we produced<br />
the second annual IfH report. Launched at the<br />
IfH conference, Investing for <strong>Health</strong> update 2005<br />
highlights progress over the year in implementing<br />
the IfH strategy. It includes articles from all<br />
sectors, highlighting their important contributions<br />
toward achieving the goals and objectives of the<br />
IfH strategy.<br />
Thematic workshops<br />
The HPA organised workshops under two<br />
themes focusing on local IfH partnership issues:<br />
• ‘Achieving smoke freedom’, organised with IfH<br />
and the Chartered Institute of Environmental<br />
<strong>Health</strong>, aimed to explore opportunities for joint<br />
working to support workplaces wanting to<br />
implement smokefree policies.<br />
• ‘Social capital and its relationship to health’<br />
was organised to satisfy increasing interest in<br />
the concept of social capital. The seminar<br />
sought to define social capital and provide an<br />
opportunity to consider its relevance and<br />
potential application for health improvement.<br />
Training<br />
During the year there was a high level of demand<br />
for all courses, with most oversubscribed.<br />
Delegates from many backgrounds and all<br />
sectors attended events on ‘Changing health<br />
behaviour: principles and practice of motivational<br />
interviewing’, and ‘Working with groups:<br />
facilitation and group work skills’.<br />
Attending the social capital workshop are, from left: Dr<br />
Leslie Boydell, Institute of Public <strong>Health</strong> in Ireland; Aodhan<br />
O’Donnell, Senior Manager: Public <strong>Health</strong>, HPA; Elma<br />
Greer, Age Concern; Laurie Lumsden, Trinity College,<br />
Dublin; and Geoff Beattie, Voluntary and Community Unit.<br />
Future developments<br />
The HPA will facilitate the organisation of the<br />
third IfH conference in 2007. The planning<br />
process will commence in late 2006 and reflect<br />
feedback and evaluation from previous events.<br />
A proposal on the themes and focus for future<br />
IfH workshops will set the direction and content<br />
for forthcoming events aimed at supporting the<br />
local IfH partnerships and reviewing progress<br />
against objectives.<br />
We will also be working with some local<br />
authorities to explore opportunities to improve<br />
public health through community planning<br />
processes. Through the RPA, local authorities<br />
will assume responsibility for undertaking<br />
community planning.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 5
The settings<br />
approach<br />
Many factors that affect public health are<br />
interrelated and can be best tackled through<br />
comprehensive, integrated programmes in<br />
appropriate settings where people live, work,<br />
learn and spend their leisure time.<br />
The IfH strategy highlights the potential for<br />
promoting health in settings such as<br />
communities, schools, workplaces and hospitals. 1<br />
It advocates the creation of healthy environments<br />
that support good health by changing risk<br />
conditions rather than focusing on risk factors.<br />
The settings approach supports people to make<br />
decisions about their own health and wellbeing.<br />
Through organisational change, employers can<br />
engage with their employers and their<br />
organisations and take responsibility to become<br />
healthy.<br />
The approach uses whole systems thinking to<br />
ensure that ways to enhance health are<br />
embedded in the culture, corporate planning and<br />
outcome evaluation of organisations, and is<br />
therefore seen to be a sustainable long-term<br />
approach.<br />
Participation, empowerment and equity are the<br />
values central to this approach and there must<br />
be commitment to these at all levels before we<br />
see an impact on the wider determinants of<br />
health across our communities and individuals.<br />
Settings seminars<br />
In support of this approach, the HPA, along with<br />
the <strong>Health</strong> Development Directorate of the<br />
DHSSPS, brought together policy makers,<br />
planners and commissioners in March for the first<br />
of two seminars to consider how the settings<br />
approach can best be commissioned,<br />
implemented and evaluated.<br />
The following reports detail how the HPA has<br />
worked to promote health in these settings.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> in the community<br />
IfH acknowledges that community involvement is<br />
crucial to the future success of the strategy. 1 The<br />
‘<strong>Health</strong> in the community’ setting depends on<br />
commitment and coordinated action from a<br />
wide range of statutory, voluntary and social<br />
partners.<br />
As part of our commitment to this setting, we<br />
work with a number of partnerships and<br />
programmes with a role in the development of<br />
health initiatives in the community.<br />
Fuel poverty<br />
The HPA undertook follow-up work on the fuel<br />
poverty pilot programme and the potential role of<br />
primary care health professionals in helping<br />
address fuel poverty. The pilot programme<br />
involved National Energy Action, the four <strong>Health</strong><br />
Action Zones (HAZs), the General Consumer<br />
Council, the Department for Social Development<br />
(DSD) and the DHSSPS.<br />
Resources and training were developed to<br />
support primary care health professionals in<br />
identifying the signs of fuel poverty and signpost<br />
their clients to appropriate sources of help. An<br />
evaluation of this approach, including the<br />
resources and training developed, was<br />
undertaken.<br />
Recommendations from the evaluation have<br />
resulted in further work with key senior <strong>Health</strong><br />
and Social Service Trust (HSST) personnel to<br />
identify how health professionals can best be<br />
supported to help identify and address fuel<br />
poverty. This work, which will be submitted to the<br />
Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Advisory Group<br />
and others, together with the evaluation, will help<br />
inform the direction of future work to help meet<br />
the targets within Ending fuel poverty: a strategy<br />
for Northern Ireland. 6<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y Living Centres (HLCs)<br />
The HPA manages a three year support and<br />
development programme for Northern Ireland’s<br />
19 HLCs, which is funded by the Big Lottery<br />
Fund and began in September 2004.<br />
HLCs target the most disadvantaged sections of<br />
the population and address the wider<br />
determinants of health and inequalities such as<br />
social exclusion, access to services and<br />
socioeconomic deprivation.<br />
6 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
The HPA’s support activities have focused both<br />
on the individual and collective needs of HLCs.<br />
Individually, HLCs have received mentoring<br />
support and assistance with business and<br />
sustainability planning.<br />
Collectively, they have benefited from<br />
networking opportunities and activities that<br />
support their strategic planning, monitoring and<br />
evaluation.<br />
The HPA maintains regular communication with<br />
HLCs through email bulletins and contributes to<br />
lobbying on their behalf through the Northern<br />
Ireland HLC advisory board and UK HLC<br />
coordination group. Alongside the Institute of<br />
Public <strong>Health</strong>, North and West Belfast HAZ and<br />
LOCUS, we have facilitated the introduction of<br />
the SPEAK tool to support HLCs through<br />
strategic planning, evaluation and knowledge<br />
management.<br />
Future developments<br />
The HPA will continue to work on delivering the<br />
HLC support programme across Northern<br />
Ireland. With many HLCs coming to the end of<br />
their lottery funding, a key focus of support is on<br />
sustainability and business planning, building<br />
support and helping to demonstrate impact.<br />
We will continue to support networking and<br />
training and will be facilitating the development of<br />
a regional HLC forum to contribute to lobbying<br />
and awareness raising.<br />
Empowering for health<br />
WHO, the two networks of HPH in the Republic<br />
of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the HPA<br />
were among the organisers of the 13 th<br />
international conference on health promoting<br />
hospitals in Dublin in May. ‘Empowering for<br />
health: practicing the principles’ focused on<br />
empowering hospital staff and patients to better<br />
manage their health. Over 600 delegates<br />
attended from 40 countries.<br />
Towards smokefree hospitals<br />
In June the HPA held a workshop at Loughry<br />
College of Agriculture, Food and Rural<br />
Enterprise, located near Cookstown, to facilitate<br />
senior staff from the hospital setting in facing the<br />
challenges of a smokefree environment. The<br />
presentations included ‘Implementing a smoking<br />
cessation service in the acute setting’.<br />
Future developments<br />
Membership of the European planning group,<br />
through our role as regional coordinating centre,<br />
will continue to bring opportunities for hospitals<br />
here to participate in international research.<br />
The relaunch of the Northern Ireland HPH<br />
Network will make a significant contribution to<br />
the public health agenda. There are 13 hospitals<br />
in the local network willing to share their<br />
experiences and play a major role in preventing<br />
illness, managing chronic diseases and<br />
promoting health for patients and staff.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> promoting health<br />
service (supporting health in<br />
hospitals)<br />
In 2005 the HPA, as a WHO Collaborating<br />
Centre, took on the role of coordination centre<br />
for WHO <strong>Health</strong> Promoting Hospitals (HPH) in<br />
Northern Ireland for a four year period.<br />
The HPH initiative provides an opportunity for our<br />
hospitals to use their resources and expertise to<br />
improve health in the widest sense for their staff,<br />
patients and the wider community. Through our<br />
involvement, we aim to embed the initiative within<br />
our hospitals and extend this approach across<br />
HPSS.<br />
Attending the ‘<strong>Health</strong> improvement through organisational<br />
development’ seminar are, from left: Barbara Porter,<br />
Coordinator: <strong>Health</strong> Promoting <strong>Health</strong> Service programme,<br />
HPA; Cathy Wynne, North West Public <strong>Health</strong> Team,<br />
Manchester; Mark Dooris, University of Central Lancashire,<br />
and Deirdre Kenny, Director of <strong>Health</strong> Development,<br />
DHSSPS.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 7
Further meetings of the newly appointed<br />
DHSSPS steering group for HPH are also<br />
planned.<br />
We will be piloting ‘A healthy service: supporting<br />
health in hospital programme’. The objectives<br />
of the programme will include the development<br />
of:<br />
• a framework to embed the process of<br />
becoming a healthy setting;<br />
• a set of quality criteria;<br />
• a self-assessment tool to measure current<br />
strengths and areas for improvement as part of<br />
the action planning process.<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y schools<br />
The organisational development of schools to<br />
enable them to support and protect the health of<br />
pupils, staff and the local community has been<br />
the central focus of the Northern Ireland pilot of<br />
the <strong>Health</strong> Promoting Schools (HPS) initiative,<br />
which is managed by the HPA with funding from<br />
the DHSSPS.<br />
The initiative adopts an approach that focuses on<br />
three strands of activity to improve health. These<br />
are interdependent and aim to improve:<br />
• the ethos and environment of the school;<br />
• the quality of learning and teaching;<br />
• the quality of management practices for health.<br />
These are in line with, and add value to, current<br />
regional education policy for general school<br />
improvement.<br />
During the year, we undertook regional<br />
coordination and supporting actions that have<br />
contributed to partnership and capacity building,<br />
and that have helped further development and<br />
implementation of the pilot programme in the<br />
schools setting.<br />
Evaluation<br />
The pilot initiative has now reached its final year,<br />
with the regional evaluation commissioned by the<br />
HPA confirming its success in meeting the aims,<br />
objectives and expected outcomes.<br />
The key themes from the evaluation report<br />
confirmed that <strong>Health</strong>y Schools:<br />
• is a timely and important initiative, which is<br />
effectively managed and continuing to evolve<br />
successfully against a background of review in<br />
education and health;<br />
• provides a framework to address many<br />
health-related issues for pupils and staff, and<br />
to deliver and add value to the new curriculum<br />
in personal and social development;<br />
• has made a significant contribution to the<br />
promotion of school improvement through<br />
self-evaluation and school development<br />
planning.<br />
Recognition certificates<br />
Funding secured by the DHSSPS for the<br />
2005–2006 financial year has allowed the five<br />
local coordinators, supported by their<br />
management partnerships, to consolidate work<br />
with the 128 schools that received recognition<br />
certificates in 2004, and begin work with a<br />
further 5% of schools across Northern Ireland.<br />
Good practice in action: pupils from health promoting school Armoy Primary participating in the ‘Living willows for shade<br />
project’ with teacher Marina McKeown and Conservation Volunteer Mark Horton.*<br />
8 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
i<br />
Resources<br />
The HPA has continued to develop information<br />
and guidance materials to support this<br />
programme of work. December 2005 saw the<br />
launch of a searchable database of case studies<br />
under the <strong>Health</strong>y Schools programme. ‘<strong>Health</strong><br />
promoting schools: sharing good practice’ can<br />
be located on the HPA corporate website<br />
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk<br />
Future developments<br />
In partnership with the <strong>Health</strong> and Education<br />
Liaison Group, the HPA first proposed a HPS<br />
initiative in 2002. Its vision then was for the<br />
outcomes achieved by the initiative to form the<br />
basis for long-term funding and sustainability.<br />
The HPA will continue to advise the DHSSPS on<br />
the possibility of incorporating the <strong>Health</strong>y<br />
Schools framework into mainstream education,<br />
and contribute to the planning and development<br />
of related policy and practice.<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y Schools and the new initiative, Extended<br />
Schools, share the common aim of supporting<br />
children’s health, safety and wellbeing. They also<br />
recognise that this aim can best be delivered<br />
through a process that involves pupils, staff, local<br />
communities and partner agencies. Extended<br />
Schools could have a key role in delivering a new<br />
<strong>Health</strong>y Schools policy by working with schools<br />
in areas of disadvantage to establish a<br />
whole-school approach to health and wellbeing.<br />
The HPA is discussing collaborative approaches<br />
and structures with the Department of Education<br />
and the Extended Schools team. ‘Creating<br />
healthy schools’ is one of six strategic priorities<br />
for action, recommended in the Fit futures report,<br />
and the HPA will play a role in the development<br />
of policy, practice and implementation of the<br />
recommendations. 4<br />
<strong>Health</strong> promoting workplaces<br />
As the workplace is a setting where many people<br />
spend the largest proportion of their time,<br />
employers can play a key role in contributing to<br />
the health of their employees and, in turn, the<br />
health of their organisation. Most workplace<br />
health and safety policies used to be primarily<br />
concerned with physical safety issues and<br />
accident prevention. Now, however, many<br />
employers realise they need to surpass basic<br />
statutory obligations of safety and occupational<br />
health to improve business itself.<br />
Receiving the award for BBC Big Challenge healthy<br />
workplaces NI and UK are, from left: Julie Hill, Coordinator,<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Promoting Workplaces, HPA; Paddy O’Connell,<br />
presenter, BBC Working Lunch; and Doreen McKenzie,<br />
proprietor, Knock Travel, Belfast.<br />
Work Well<br />
The HPA continued to manage and develop its<br />
pilot healthy workplace programme Work Well in<br />
partnership with the <strong>Health</strong> and Safety Executive<br />
for Northern Ireland (HSENI), under the Working<br />
for health strategy, and with the DHSSPS, under<br />
the IfH strategy. 7,1 The initiative supports small<br />
businesses (ie those with 10–50 employees) to<br />
assess their organisational and employee health<br />
needs, write a health action plan and implement<br />
this plan over a one year period.<br />
The pilot programme helped organisations to:<br />
• develop management practices and policies<br />
that support health and promote a positive<br />
working environment;<br />
• provide opportunities and activities to promote<br />
health and wellbeing;<br />
• implement improvements to the workplace<br />
that protect the safety and health of<br />
employees.<br />
The pilot stage of Work Well has ended and the<br />
evaluation has shown that the initiative has led to<br />
positive changes in organisational policy and<br />
ways of working, brought tangible improvements<br />
to employees’ health and generally improved the<br />
overall working environment. The initiative has<br />
resulted in the following outcomes:<br />
• a healthy workplace ‘model’ that small<br />
businesses can use to develop their own<br />
healthy workplace programmes;<br />
• a user friendly needs assessment process<br />
leading to a tailored health action plan that<br />
meets the needs of the individual organisation<br />
and its employees;<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 9
• eighteen ‘champion’ businesses that can<br />
demonstrate good practice in developing<br />
workplace health programmes;<br />
• knowledge that will impact on the future<br />
development of a healthy workplace training<br />
course.<br />
New employers guides<br />
The HPA has published three guides for<br />
employers on promoting health in the workplace:<br />
Promoting healthy eating at work, Promoting<br />
physical activity at work, and Promoting<br />
breastfeeding for mothers returning to work. In<br />
addition, a summary evaluation of the Work Well<br />
initiative is available.<br />
Future developments<br />
A healthy workplace training course will be<br />
designed and piloted later in 2006. It is aimed at<br />
people working to support businesses to develop<br />
healthy workplace programmes or address<br />
workplace health issues. The training course will<br />
incorporate the learning from the Work Well<br />
initiative.<br />
The HPA also plans to publish:<br />
• a healthy workplace handbook;<br />
• an organisational health assessment tool;<br />
• an employee questionnaire;<br />
• further guides on health-related workplace<br />
issues.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> promoting prisons<br />
In December 2005, the HPA formed a<br />
partnership with the Northern Ireland Prison<br />
Service (NIPS) to highlight prison health.<br />
Prisoners are more likely to come from lower<br />
socioeconomic groups and have poor levels of<br />
education, factors which are inextricably linked<br />
with ill health.<br />
Prison based health promotion therefore gives<br />
access to a population that is normally hard to<br />
reach, offering a unique opportunity to tackle<br />
issues of social exclusion and inequalities in<br />
health, and to increase the capacity of prisoners<br />
to fulfil their potential on release.<br />
Prison is also an important workplace and offers<br />
a prime opportunity to promote the health of<br />
staff.<br />
Future developments<br />
NIPS and the HPA are combining with other<br />
stakeholders to hold a conference in September<br />
2006 to influence the development of a<br />
framework for taking healthy prisons forward.<br />
10 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Smoking<br />
Annually, 3,000 lives are lost here as a result of<br />
tobacco-related illnesses - most are preventable.<br />
Our broad range of work this year helped us to<br />
contribute to meeting specific targets on<br />
smoking.<br />
Smoking legislation<br />
Minister for <strong>Health</strong> Shaun Woodward announced<br />
that from April 2007, Northern Ireland would go<br />
smokefree. The HPA had advocated for<br />
legislation to protect workers from second-hand<br />
smoke through various activities, including a one<br />
year follow-up to 2004 research into attitudes<br />
towards smoking in public. This showed a 7%<br />
increase in the number of people who said they<br />
would support a law to make workplaces<br />
smokefree. Press releases, a seminar and<br />
factsheets ensured wide exposure.<br />
Dr Brian Gaffney, back row left, Chief Executive, HPA, and<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Minister Shaun Woodward MP celebrate the<br />
smoking ban announcement with pupils from Belfast<br />
primary schools Seaview and St Joseph’s.<br />
Following the announcement, the Smokefree<br />
Northern Ireland Coalition, which the HPA<br />
facilitates and chairs, continued to lobby over<br />
exemptions. During the public consultation on the<br />
Draft smoking (NI) order, members of the<br />
coalition developed a collaborative response. 8<br />
The HPA also submitted a response.<br />
Campaigns<br />
Throughout the year we continued to raise<br />
awareness about the health effects of passive<br />
smoking and encourage support for the ban on<br />
smoking in public places through the television<br />
campaign, ‘Passive smoking: there’s nothing<br />
passive about it’. An evaluation of this campaign<br />
found that nearly half of smokers who had seen<br />
the ads said they would encourage them not to<br />
smoke in front of others. To encourage and<br />
support smokers to stop, ads highlighting the<br />
health effects of smoking and promoting the help<br />
and support available to smokers were<br />
broadcast. A competition was also launched to<br />
encourage young people to go to the HPA<br />
website www.up-2-you.net and find out about<br />
the dangers of passive smoking. The competition<br />
received over 3,000 entries.<br />
No Smoking Day<br />
The HPA supported the annual No Smoking Day<br />
(NSD) campaign through membership of the UK<br />
and Northern Ireland NSD committees. To help<br />
raise awareness and encourage smokers to make<br />
NSD their quit date, a TV ad campaign was<br />
broadcast, which promoted our Smokers’<br />
Helpline. We also carried out an evaluation of<br />
the 2005 campaign, which showed that 82% of<br />
the public were aware of the campaign, and 16%<br />
of smokers aware of the day made a quit attempt.<br />
Smoking cessation<br />
We continued work in the area of smoking<br />
cessation and in March held a seminar with<br />
young people to consider UK-wide research on<br />
effective smoking cessation. This highlighted the<br />
need for more evaluation of young people’s<br />
projects. Information was also produced to<br />
encourage primary care staff to offer advice.<br />
Supporting work<br />
In support of professional development in smoking<br />
cessation, we carried out a needs assessment with<br />
healthcare professionals to identify preferred<br />
methods for receiving information and training. We<br />
continued development of smoking cessation<br />
e-learning for professionals and were on the panel<br />
of judges for the ‘Smoking cessation project of the<br />
year’ award.<br />
Future developments<br />
We will continue to work collaboratively with<br />
others to support the implementation of the Draft<br />
smoking (NI) order, and will continue our<br />
provision of support to smokers who want to<br />
quit. The Up-2-You website will also continue to<br />
be developed.<br />
i<br />
i<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 11
Drugs and alcohol<br />
Alcohol and substance misuse are two major<br />
public health issues in Northern Ireland. To<br />
contribute to meeting our targets in this area, we<br />
were involved in many projects, including the<br />
development of the New strategic direction for<br />
alcohol and drugs (2006–2011) strategy,<br />
through membership of the strategy development<br />
team and steering group. 9<br />
Working together<br />
We participated in many working groups and<br />
special interest groups during the year. Our<br />
involvement at a strategic level is important to<br />
help ensure that this work is integrated with work<br />
in other HPA core areas, including mental and<br />
sexual health.<br />
We also submitted a written response to the<br />
Department for Social Development’s<br />
consultation on liquor licensing, welcoming the<br />
review of current licensing laws and highlighting<br />
the need for improved mechanisms to enforce<br />
laws on underage drinking. 10<br />
The Regional Alcohol and Drug Forum, which the<br />
HPA chairs and facilitates, was also re-established<br />
during 2005.<br />
Drinking habits of young people<br />
Work to tackle underage drinking included a<br />
report identifying changes in the drinking trends<br />
of young people aged 11 to 16, published by the<br />
HPA in collaboration with the Irish Temperance<br />
League. The report presented secondary<br />
analyses from the 1997 <strong>Health</strong> behaviour of<br />
school children in Northern Ireland survey and<br />
the 2000 and 2003 Young persons’ behaviour<br />
and attitudes surveys. 11, 12<br />
The HPA also organised a breakfast seminar<br />
entitled ‘Adolescent drinking in Northern Ireland’,<br />
which attracted almost 90 delegates.<br />
Campaigns and resources<br />
In March the HPA, in conjunction with the Drug<br />
and Alcohol Strategy Team, launched an alcohol<br />
campaign to highlight the risks associated with<br />
binge drinking. A range of materials with<br />
information about alcohol and health was<br />
developed, including beer mats and paper wine<br />
bottle bags. A new information leaflet and a unit<br />
calculator ‘wheel’ were also developed and<br />
distributed through regional newspapers. The<br />
campaign was supported by off-sales across<br />
Northern Ireland as well as the Northern Ireland<br />
Drinks Industry Group. An information pack<br />
Solvent abuse: a guide for retailers, which was<br />
first produced by the HPA several years ago, was<br />
reprinted and distributed. Re-Solv, a charity<br />
involved in tackling solvent abuse, distributed the<br />
pack to local retailers.<br />
A new series of drug awareness posters was<br />
displayed in pubs and nightclubs popular with<br />
18 to 30 year olds. The posters deal with drugs<br />
such as cannabis, cocaine and Ecstasy, as well<br />
as drink spiking, mixing drugs and alcohol, and<br />
personal safety. They were developed following<br />
qualitative research with the target group.<br />
DrugsAlcohol.info<br />
The HPA is funded by the DHSSPS’s Drug and<br />
Alcohol Strategy Team to develop and maintain<br />
www.drugsalcohol.info The site has been<br />
redeveloped to be more user friendly and<br />
updated more easily. Throughout the year, the<br />
website was updated with news items, statistics<br />
and links to new research.<br />
i<br />
Victoria Creasy, left, Senior Manager: Public <strong>Health</strong>, HPA,<br />
and Shelly Cooke, Wineflair, Lisburn Road, Belfast, with<br />
off-sales material highlighting the binge drinking campaign.<br />
Future developments<br />
We will continue to work collaboratively with<br />
many organisations and agencies in support of<br />
the New strategic direction for alcohol and drugs<br />
(2006–2011), and work to increase public<br />
awareness of the risks of alcohol misuse and<br />
illicit drug use. 9<br />
12 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Nutrition and oral health<br />
i<br />
Good nutrition is vital in promoting good health<br />
and wellbeing, protecting against serious<br />
illnesses and health problems such as heart<br />
disease, some cancers, obesity, diabetes and<br />
oral disease. This year, strategic activity<br />
continued with the provision of expert advice<br />
throughout the development of the Fit futures<br />
initiative. 4 On a practical level we achieved<br />
objectives through a wide range of activities.<br />
Child nutrition conference<br />
Over 200 professionals from health and<br />
education were updated on new guidance on<br />
maternal and child nutrition at our ‘Start healthy,<br />
stay healthy’ conference in October.<br />
Fit Futures process<br />
We continued to provide detailed, up-to-date<br />
information on the Fit futures obesity initiative,<br />
compiling a research and information baseline<br />
that details sources of local data on overweight<br />
and obesity and its causes. This was published<br />
at: www.investingforhealthni.gov.uk/fitfutures.asp<br />
NIORG obesity conference<br />
We contributed to the planning of the Northern<br />
Ireland Obesity Research Group’s (NIORG) first<br />
annual conference at Queen’s University, Belfast,<br />
which informed health professionals and<br />
academics of current research on obesity and<br />
provided an update of local work.<br />
Weight Wise at work<br />
In support of the UK-wide Weight Wise<br />
campaign, we updated the leaflet Small changes,<br />
big benefits, which aims to raise employees’<br />
awareness of the effects of eating patterns on<br />
health. We developed Promoting healthy eating at<br />
work, which provides information on the benefits<br />
to business of promoting healthy eating in the<br />
workplace. We also worked with the Men’s <strong>Health</strong><br />
Forum to support Men’s <strong>Health</strong> Week, highlighting<br />
the issues of being overweight or obese.<br />
Fresh Fruit in Schools<br />
Work on the Fresh Fruit in Schools pilot project<br />
continued in partnership with the IfH team and<br />
the HAZs. A summary interim report from<br />
evaluation of the first two years of the initiative is<br />
available from the HPA and local HAZ websites.<br />
Cook it!<br />
We continued to support Cook it! – a community<br />
nutrition education programme – at a regional level<br />
and worked with, and provided support for, the Big<br />
Lottery-funded Cook it! teams. We continued to<br />
manage evaluation, develop resources, update and<br />
reprint the Cook it! manual, and coordinate<br />
regional groups. The programme was developed in<br />
partnership with community dietitians from several<br />
<strong>Health</strong> and Social Service Boards (HSSBs).<br />
Food 4 Play<br />
Commitment to the Food 4 Play programme<br />
continued, which aims to bring the nutritional<br />
needs of children aged 4–14 years to the<br />
attention of those involved in play projects.<br />
Training on the resource pack for the play workers<br />
was coordinated by PlayBoard in association with<br />
the HPA and community dietitians.<br />
Future developments<br />
Collaborative work with a wide range of<br />
organisations and agencies will be developed to<br />
contribute to the development of an environment<br />
that enables people in Northern Ireland to<br />
prevent diet-related diseases, enhance health<br />
and take forward the recommendations outlined<br />
in Fit futures.<br />
The winner of the Fresh Fruit in Schools competition, Helen<br />
Jameson, left, with her son John; Paula Tally, Armagh and<br />
Dungannon <strong>Health</strong> Action Zone Manager; and Laura<br />
Donnelly, <strong>Health</strong> Development Officer: Nutrition, HPA.<br />
New guidelines for childminders<br />
We revised our publication on nutrition for the<br />
early years to include new weaning advice and<br />
guidance for childminders. The updated document,<br />
Nutrition matters for the early years: healthy eating<br />
for the under fives in childcare, will be distributed<br />
through training seminars for childcare providers.
Physical activity<br />
Physical activity improves our health and helps to<br />
prevent disease. Being active even for short<br />
periods can provide a range of health benefits to<br />
everyone, regardless of age, weight, health<br />
condition or disability.<br />
We continued our important role in this area by<br />
supporting the Northern Ireland physical activity<br />
strategy and action plan through facilitating the<br />
strategy implementation group (NIPAIG), regional<br />
public information campaign work and<br />
collaborative projects.<br />
Physical activity campaign<br />
The latest phase in the HPA public information<br />
campaign was launched in March. ‘Every small<br />
step is a forward step’ targets women,<br />
particularly those with small children, and<br />
promotes the message that 30 minutes of<br />
moderate physical activity on five or more days of<br />
the week helps to protect your health. The<br />
campaign involved the development of a TV<br />
advert, the New you magazine, and a website<br />
www.getalifegetactive.com<br />
Get Active in the Community<br />
The Get Active in the Community Cash Grant<br />
Awards scheme continued for the seventh year.<br />
The scheme, which supports the physical activity<br />
campaign of the regional strategy through grant<br />
aid, has helped hundreds of groups to improve<br />
health in their local communities through<br />
increased physical activity.<br />
This year, a total of 173 of the 264 applicants<br />
received grants up to the value of £500 each for<br />
activities such as walking and rambling, dancing<br />
including hip hop, salsa and set, armchair<br />
aerobics, yoga and swimming.<br />
Actively Ageing Well<br />
In 2005, the Actively Ageing Well (AAW)<br />
partnership of the HPA and Age Concern, with<br />
Big Lottery funding, launched the year of dance<br />
as an incentive to help older people keep active.<br />
Over 34 groups took part in activities including<br />
salsa, old time, line, circle, Irish and Scottish<br />
dancing. A ‘dancefest’ in the Northern Board<br />
area in October was attended by over 140<br />
people aged 50+.<br />
Actively launching the Actively Ageing Well poster are<br />
Lurgan ladies Maureen McVeigh, Sadie Hamill, Theresa<br />
O’Neill, Joan Fineton, Geraldine Doran, Pat Lawlor, Una<br />
Cassidy, Marie Fox and Marie French.<br />
The AAW partnership also produced a report,<br />
Connections for health, which summarises<br />
research reviewing the impact of the initiative on<br />
social capital in the participating communities.<br />
The research applied the new social capital<br />
outcome indicators developed by the Department<br />
of Social Development, through Community<br />
Evaluation Northern Ireland.<br />
An exhibition of positive, inclusive and<br />
challenging images of older people engaged in<br />
physical activity through the AAW initiative went<br />
on display at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast and<br />
other council premises throughout Northern<br />
Ireland. To support the exhibition, the HPA<br />
produced a poster and calendar and reprinted<br />
its leaflet on physical activity for older people,<br />
called Make the first move.<br />
Future developments<br />
The HPA will continue to work in partnership with<br />
other organisations and agencies to deliver on<br />
shared objectives. We will continue to provide<br />
advice at a strategic level, working to increase<br />
awareness of the benefits of regular, moderate<br />
physical activity, and encouraging increased<br />
participation in physical activity at community and<br />
individual level.<br />
The AAW partnership will be in its final year in<br />
2006–2007. The HPA will review its plans for<br />
the continuing support of older people’s health<br />
as part of the ‘Ageing in an inclusive society’<br />
agenda.<br />
14 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Breastfeeding<br />
Breastfeeding is increasingly recognised as a<br />
significant public health issue as it provides many<br />
health benefits to both mother and baby. Our<br />
commitment to supporting ongoing<br />
implementation of the Breastfeeding strategy for<br />
Northern Ireland is evident through the work<br />
undertaken. 13<br />
i<br />
All-island conference<br />
In May 2005 the HPA organised the first<br />
all-island breastfeeding conference in association<br />
with the <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> Unit of the Department<br />
of <strong>Health</strong> and Children, Republic of Ireland (RoI).<br />
The conference, entitled ‘Breastfeeding really<br />
matters’ was held in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast.<br />
Over 320 delegates from across the island of<br />
Ireland attended, including health care<br />
professionals, educationalists, voluntary support<br />
organisations and peer support mothers. The<br />
keynote speaker was Dr Nils Bergman, Senior<br />
Medical Superintendent, Mowbray Maternity<br />
Hospital, Cape Town.<br />
Breastfeeding welcome here<br />
A mother-led initiative for breastfeeding was also<br />
launched. The ‘Breastfeeding welcome here’<br />
initiative aims to improve social acceptability of<br />
breastfeeding and help mothers identify places<br />
where they can breastfeed their baby when they<br />
are out and about. The scheme has attracted<br />
interest from several district councils and almost<br />
40 full members have signed up. Full details of<br />
the scheme and an up-to-date list of members<br />
can be viewed on www.breastfedbabies.org<br />
Breastfeeding Awareness Week<br />
New resources were produced to help support<br />
the welcome scheme and National Breastfeeding<br />
Awareness Week. These included a poster<br />
featuring a mum breastfeeding in a bus station<br />
and a leaflet entitled Breastfeeding out and<br />
about. The leaflet provides information and<br />
advice for mothers on making breastfeeding part<br />
of their everyday life.<br />
UK Baby Friendly Initiative<br />
During the year we held two United Nations<br />
Children’s Fund (UNICEF) UK Baby Friendly<br />
Initiative workshops entitled ‘Auditing practices to<br />
support breastfeeding’ and ‘Delivering in-house<br />
Clare Kelly and baby Jorja enjoy the all-island<br />
breastfeeding conference with Janet Calvert, Regional<br />
Breastfeeding Coordinator, HPA, and Dr Nils Bergman,<br />
Senior Medical Superintendent, Mowbray Maternity<br />
Hospital, Cape Town.<br />
breastfeeding education’. These were delivered<br />
by Sue Ashmore and Carmel Duffy of UNICEF.<br />
Several members of the breastfeeding<br />
coordinators forum, audit personnel and<br />
educationalists from throughout Northern Ireland<br />
benefited from the expertise of the UNICEF<br />
facilitators.<br />
Future developments<br />
Next year the HPA and UNICEF will be<br />
collaborating to enable the regional<br />
breastfeeding coordinator to provide support for<br />
HSSTs that are seeking Baby Friendly<br />
accreditation. This will be the first collaboration<br />
of this kind in the UK. We will also be aiming to<br />
meet the breastfeeding targets outlined in A<br />
healthier future. 14 This will require significant<br />
changes and improvements in breastfeeding<br />
promotion and support, and a commitment to<br />
build on recent progress through the continued<br />
implementation of the recommendations<br />
contained in the Breastfeeding strategy for<br />
Northern Ireland.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 15
Maternal and child health<br />
(including CEMACH)<br />
Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child<br />
<strong>Health</strong> (CEMACH) aims to improve the health of<br />
mothers, babies and children by carrying out<br />
confidential enquiries on a nationwide basis and<br />
widely disseminating the findings and<br />
recommendations.<br />
reviews conducted on a subset of deaths, with a<br />
focus on identifying preventable and avoidable<br />
factors. We hope that the work we contribute in<br />
Northern Ireland will help inform a future national<br />
review of child death.<br />
The Northern Ireland office of CEMACH<br />
transferred from Castle Buildings, Stormont, to<br />
the HPA in January 2006. It oversees the<br />
Northern Ireland input of the enquiry and<br />
develops the enquiry within a broader approach<br />
to maternal and child health information.<br />
Maternal enquiry<br />
This covers all maternal deaths in the UK<br />
occurring during pregnancy and up to 12 months<br />
after delivery. A Why mothers die report is<br />
produced, identifying clinical lessons and wider<br />
policy issues. 15 Data collection for the new<br />
triennium commenced on 1 January 2006.<br />
Perinatal enquiry<br />
Information is collected from every hospital on<br />
perinatal and infant deaths from 22 weeks of<br />
gestation up to 28 days of life. The report for<br />
2004 was published in March 2006 and was<br />
distributed to 150 health planners and providers<br />
in Northern Ireland. 16 Trusts were also sent<br />
individual Trust-specific reports to enable them to<br />
compare their results with other providers<br />
regionally and nationally on a confidential basis.<br />
Child health<br />
The overall aim of this new area for CEMACH is<br />
to improve the health of children older than 28<br />
days by identifying patterns of practice or service<br />
provision related to adverse outcomes, which<br />
could include death or morbidity.<br />
Northern Ireland is one of five regions selected to<br />
contribute to the first CEMACH pilot study in this<br />
area. This will seek to obtain an overview of all<br />
child deaths from 28 days to 18 years over a one<br />
year period from January 2006. Core data on all<br />
child deaths identified in these regions will be<br />
collected and detailed local multidisciplinary<br />
Confidentiality is a fundamental principle of the<br />
work of CEMACH. The confidentiality of not only<br />
the patients, but also the clinicians and providers,<br />
is strictly safeguarded. All enquiries are<br />
conducted on notes and data that have already<br />
been anonymised to ensure that confidentiality is<br />
maintained.<br />
All CEMACH projects rely on the contribution of<br />
health professionals, by providing data,<br />
participating as assessors and implementing<br />
recommendations into HSST practice. We<br />
appreciate their continued support.<br />
Future developments<br />
The maternal and child health office will continue<br />
to collaborate and liaise with other perinatal and<br />
child health information systems to allow more<br />
comprehensive analysis of the health of mothers<br />
and babies, and to ensure that recommendations<br />
based on the enquiry are implemented across<br />
the HPSS.<br />
16 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Sexual health<br />
The HPA encourages tolerance, understanding<br />
and responsibility in relation to sexual health.<br />
Sexual health promotion incorporates areas such<br />
as sex education, family planning, and the<br />
prevention of unplanned teenage pregnancies,<br />
sexually transmitted infections and the spread of<br />
HIV and AIDS.<br />
During the year we contributed to meeting the<br />
recommendations from the Teenage pregnancy<br />
and parenthood: strategy and action plan<br />
2002–2007, and the draft document A five year<br />
sexual health promotion strategy and action<br />
plan. 17, 18 This was achieved through activities<br />
such as the provision of information to<br />
professionals and the public through drama,<br />
factsheets, advertising in bars and clubs, and<br />
policy development and advice on sexual health<br />
issues.<br />
Teenage pregnancy and parenthood<br />
During the year the HPA provided funding for a<br />
production developed by educational theatre<br />
company Replay Productions. Aimed at pupils<br />
aged 14 and over, His ’n’ Hers was set in the<br />
context of the Teenage pregnancy and<br />
parenthood strategy and the Relationships and<br />
sexuality education guidelines for schools. 19 The<br />
project had input from teenagers, teachers and<br />
health professionals, and was extremely well<br />
received by participating schools.<br />
Parents and sex education<br />
Key messages on the importance of the bond<br />
between parent and adolescent, maintaining<br />
boundaries for behaviour, and fostering skills to<br />
reduce risk factors in the lives of young people<br />
were emphasised at a seminar organised by the<br />
HPA in partnership with the Sexual <strong>Health</strong><br />
Information Exchange Group (SHIEG).<br />
Feedback from the seminar has helped inform<br />
the development of future events as part of the<br />
continued commitment from SHIEG to training<br />
on key issues relating to teenage pregnancy,<br />
parenthood and sexual health.<br />
Policy advice<br />
The HPA continued to contribute as a member of<br />
the Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood Strategy<br />
Implementation Group. During the year,<br />
Attending the ‘Role of parents in sex education’ seminar<br />
are, from left, Janice Armstrong, Homefirst Community<br />
HSST; Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive, HPA; Dr Miriam<br />
McCarthy, DHSSPS; Dr Vincent Moloney, Dublin; Penny<br />
Hughes, Parents’ Advice Centre; Ed Sipler, Down Lisburn<br />
HSST; and Diana Gossrau-Breen, <strong>Health</strong> Development<br />
Officer: Sexual <strong>Health</strong>, HPA.<br />
responses to the consultation on the draft sexual<br />
health promotion strategy were provided by the<br />
HPA.<br />
SHI service<br />
The HPA continued its partnership with the family<br />
planning association (fpa) in Northern Ireland to<br />
provide accessible information through the<br />
Sexual <strong>Health</strong> Information (SHI) service. As part<br />
of this service, the series of factsheets were<br />
updated on the HPA website. During the year the<br />
helpline responded to over 6,300 queries and<br />
1,000 written responses were provided by the<br />
fpa.<br />
Analysis of the service shows that the greatest<br />
number of enquires relate to the locality and<br />
opening times of family planning clinics, and are<br />
from women faced with an unplanned pregnancy.<br />
Significantly, there has been an increase in<br />
enquiries on sexually transmitted infections, most<br />
notably from men.<br />
Future developments<br />
We will continue to work closely with the<br />
DHSSPS on the development of the regional<br />
sexual health promotion strategy, and work to<br />
meet the objectives of the Teenage pregnancy<br />
and parenthood strategy. We also aim to<br />
organise a regional sexual health conference.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 17
Mental health<br />
Good mental health is associated with a positive<br />
self-image, satisfying relationships, and skills and<br />
competencies in areas such as decision making,<br />
problem solving and self motivation. We<br />
continued to promote good mental health by<br />
contributing to meeting IfH targets and the<br />
regional Promoting mental health: strategy and<br />
action plan, 2003-2008. 1, 20<br />
Mental <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> Network<br />
A Mental <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> Network was<br />
established and facilitated by the HPA. It<br />
comprises 11 representatives from a range of<br />
agencies and acts as a forum for discussion,<br />
professional development and training.<br />
Mental <strong>Health</strong> First Aid<br />
The HPA has been working in partnership with<br />
the mental health sub-group of the Cooperation<br />
and Working Together (CAWT) group, and<br />
Aware Defeat Depression, to pilot Mental <strong>Health</strong><br />
First Aid (MHFA) training. MHFA is the initial help<br />
given to someone experiencing a mental<br />
health problem before professional help is<br />
sought. The programme was adapted from the<br />
Scottish Executive’s national programme for<br />
mental health.<br />
The HPA provided funding for 15 instructors to<br />
be trained to deliver a 12 hour evidence-based<br />
programme. We are evaluating training that is<br />
targeting individuals and organisations working<br />
with 16–25 year olds.<br />
Clifford Beers<br />
We are a member of a five nations group that<br />
works in partnership with international charity The<br />
Clifford Beers Foundation to organise the annual<br />
mental health promotion conference. During the<br />
year we organised and attended the 2005<br />
conference in Dublin and helped plan the 2006<br />
conference in London.<br />
Mind your head<br />
We continued the partnership with the National<br />
Union of Students and the Union of Students in<br />
Ireland to relaunch the Mind your head resources<br />
at an event in Belfast to mark World Mental<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Day. These booklets were distributed to<br />
first year students throughout Northern Ireland.<br />
Deirdre McNamee, Senior Manager: Public <strong>Health</strong>, HPA,<br />
and Damien Kavanagh, Convenor of NUS-USI, at the<br />
relaunch of the Mind your head resource.<br />
R U right in the head?<br />
Two resources for young men and practitioners<br />
entitled R U right in the head? were disseminated<br />
at three training events organised by the HPA.<br />
Participants attended training on the themes of<br />
masculinity and the public and private lives of<br />
young men, and how these issues affect mental<br />
health and wellbeing.<br />
Suicide prevention<br />
The HPA was involved with the suicide task force<br />
in the consultation to shape the development of a<br />
suicide strategy and action plan. As part of this<br />
work, we organised a conference that was<br />
attended by over 350 people, including families<br />
bereaved by suicide. The draft suicide prevention<br />
strategy Protect life: a shared vision was<br />
launched on 30 March. 2<br />
Design for Living<br />
The Design for Living Partnership, comprising<br />
Action Mental <strong>Health</strong>, the Youth Council for<br />
Northern Ireland and the HPA, organised two<br />
seminars on building self-esteem and resilience<br />
in young people, and over 70 participants<br />
attended.<br />
Future developments<br />
Evaluation will help inform the future direction for<br />
MHFA within Northern Ireland, and the findings of<br />
an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Mind your<br />
head resources will shape development of future<br />
initiatives within education. We will undertake a<br />
number of projects as part of the response<br />
announced at the launch of the draft suicide<br />
prevention strategy. Due to continuing demand for<br />
Design for Living Partnership training, plans are in<br />
place to extend the number of seminars.<br />
18 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Research and evaluation<br />
Research and evaluation remains central to the<br />
work of the HPA. This area informs policy and<br />
programme development, examines the process<br />
and measures the impact of interventions, and<br />
provides an evidence base for future work.<br />
The depth and scale of the research and<br />
evaluation input to our work is highlighted<br />
throughout this report – especially in the areas of<br />
smoking, alcohol, health protection, physical<br />
activity and breastfeeding.<br />
Dr Brian Gaffney, left, Chief Executive, HPA, with Jim<br />
Currie, Chairman of the Irish Temperance League, at the<br />
launch of Drinking behaviour among young people in<br />
Northern Ireland.<br />
Evaluation of health promotion<br />
interventions<br />
This year saw an expansion in larger scale<br />
evaluation work on behalf of partner<br />
organisations. We continued to take regional<br />
responsibility for evaluations of a number of<br />
major health promotion interventions, including<br />
the Fresh Fruit in Schools pilot, the Cook it!<br />
community nutrition programme, MHFA training,<br />
His ‘n’ Hers sexual health theatre production, and<br />
the Work Well project.<br />
We also provided the Department of Education<br />
with research advice on the Evaluation of the<br />
pilot of the catering for healthier lifestyles<br />
standards in Northern Ireland, which ended in<br />
June 2005. 21<br />
The Irish Temperance League provided funding<br />
to carry out secondary analysis of the<br />
<strong>Health</strong> behaviour of school children survey<br />
(1997) and the Young persons’ behaviour and<br />
attitudes surveys (2000, 2003). This was to<br />
examine changes in the levels of alcohol<br />
experimentation and analyse compared<br />
responses to various psychosocial questions<br />
between regular drinkers and others. 11, 12<br />
A seminar entitled ‘Using focus groups: a<br />
comprehensive introduction’ was also organised.<br />
New research on children<br />
This year we carried out a survey to investigate<br />
children’s general health and wellbeing. The<br />
questionnaire was designed for self completion<br />
by 8--11 year olds and incorporated elements<br />
such as mental health, risk avoidance, levels of<br />
physical activity and daily eating habits. Given<br />
the recent focus on childhood obesity in the UK<br />
and development of the Fit Futures initiative in<br />
Northern Ireland by the DHSSPS, height and<br />
weight measurements were taken to determine<br />
the numbers of overweight or obese children<br />
within the study population. Results will be due in<br />
autumn 2006 on the 1,708 children from 32<br />
schools who took part.<br />
Research review<br />
The Research and evaluation review 2004–2005<br />
was produced and covered a broad range of<br />
research and evaluation work carried out during<br />
that year. This included summaries on tobacco<br />
research projects, and evaluations on alcohol,<br />
breastfeeding and antibiotics campaigns.<br />
Future developments<br />
We will continue to manage an extensive<br />
programme of primary and secondary research<br />
and evaluation, which will inform health<br />
promotion policy and programme development,<br />
and which measures the impact of a variety of<br />
health promotion interventions.<br />
We will continue to develop our information base<br />
and appraise work and publish research findings<br />
from other sources to ensure that we learn from<br />
best practice globally, and that our work is<br />
current and innovative.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 19
<strong>Health</strong> protection<br />
i<br />
<strong>Health</strong> protection involves the elimination or<br />
control of external threats to public health. In this<br />
area we provide information and encourage the<br />
uptake of appropriate interventions that will<br />
protect and maintain people’s health in a range<br />
of target groups. This has been achieved by<br />
working collaboratively with various organisations<br />
within the health and social services.<br />
Flu programme<br />
We supported<br />
the DHSSPS flu<br />
programme<br />
through a public<br />
information<br />
campaign to raise<br />
awareness of the<br />
benefits of the flu<br />
vaccination. The<br />
campaign<br />
focused primarily on the<br />
over 65s and those considered ‘at risk’ due to a<br />
serious medical condition.<br />
It included television and radio advertising,<br />
posters and leaflets. The main campaign leaflet<br />
was translated into five regional/ethnic minority<br />
languages and made available as PDF files on<br />
the HPA website and at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk<br />
Uptake rates for flu immunisation exceeded the<br />
targets set, with 76.8% of over 65s and 80.9%<br />
of those considered ‘at risk’ vaccinated. Targets<br />
set for these groups were 70% and 60%<br />
respectively. Materials were also developed to<br />
encourage healthcare workers and main carers<br />
for elderly or disabled people to get the flu<br />
vaccination.<br />
BCG and TB<br />
Following a change to the routine childhood<br />
immunisation policy, schoolchildren in Northern<br />
Ireland aged 10–14 are no longer tested for<br />
tuberculosis and, where necessary, given the<br />
BCG vaccine. The HPA revised the series of<br />
immunisation leaflets to reflect this. We sat on a<br />
regional group for the new policy, which targets<br />
young babies and others at risk, and developed<br />
support materials for professionals and members<br />
of the public.<br />
Antibiotics<br />
Following our public<br />
information campaign last<br />
year that aimed to increase<br />
understanding of the<br />
appropriate use of<br />
antibiotics, we carried out<br />
post-campaign research.<br />
This found that 67% of<br />
those who recalled the<br />
television advertisement or<br />
information leaflet said the<br />
campaign did or would discourage them from<br />
taking antibiotics for coughs, colds, sore throats<br />
or flu. Evaluation also indicated an increased<br />
awareness that not all infections required an<br />
antibiotic - a key campaign message.<br />
Breast screening<br />
The HPA updated and reprinted the series of<br />
information leaflets to support the Northern<br />
Ireland Breast Screening Programme. These are<br />
available from the local screening centres and<br />
the central health promotion resource services in<br />
<strong>Health</strong> and Social Services Board areas. Two of<br />
the four leaflets have been translated into a<br />
number of regional/ethnic minority languages and<br />
are available as PDF files from the websites<br />
listed on this page.<br />
Future developments<br />
We will continue to contribute to the ongoing<br />
development of immunisation materials with the<br />
production of a range of new information for the<br />
childhood immunisation programme. This should<br />
follow the anticipated introduction in 2006 of a<br />
new vaccine for babies and booster doses of<br />
some existing vaccines.<br />
Work in the area of communicable disease is set<br />
to continue with the development of information<br />
on TB control, on hand washing for the general<br />
public to control Methicillin Resistant<br />
Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA), and on<br />
hepatitis C for both the public and professionals.<br />
i<br />
20 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Communications<br />
i<br />
i<br />
We are committed to achieving high quality<br />
standards in all aspects of our communications<br />
work and seek to improve the availability and<br />
accessibility of our information. During the year<br />
we undertook many different projects.<br />
Electronic communications<br />
Our seven websites, including our corporate<br />
website www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk<br />
which ranks first in a Google UK search for<br />
‘health promotion’, were further developed. A<br />
searchable database of case studies for <strong>Health</strong><br />
Promoting Schools and a new section for the<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Promoting <strong>Health</strong> Service programme<br />
were also added.<br />
campaign featured in local retail outlets.<br />
Additional activities included the ‘Breastfeeding<br />
welcome here’ campaign, the DHSSPS flu<br />
programme through TV, radio and support<br />
materials, revision of immunisation leaflets and a<br />
sexual health poster campaign.<br />
Our passive smoking TV ad ‘Safety’, which<br />
focuses on passive smoking in the home, was<br />
awarded a finalist certificate in the 2005 Global<br />
advertising awards.<br />
Sharing communications<br />
We updated and reprinted more than 30 core<br />
publications including The Pregnancy book,<br />
which we adapt locally from the Department of<br />
<strong>Health</strong> original, and its follow-on publication,<br />
Birth to five.<br />
During the year we continued to share<br />
communications expertise, campaign ads and<br />
publications covering many different topics with<br />
other health organisations throughout the world.<br />
i<br />
i<br />
i<br />
DrugsAlcohol.info underwent major change and<br />
Up-2-You.net was updated with a competition,<br />
poll and new content. The website for the IfH<br />
conference was developed and a new section<br />
added to www.breastfedbabies.org Our intranet<br />
continued to be developed and four issues of our<br />
staff newsletter produced.<br />
Public information campaigns<br />
This year we undertook many major public<br />
information campaigns, notably ‘Passive smoking:<br />
there’s nothing passive about it’ and the<br />
campaign to raise awareness of the help and<br />
support available for smokers. A new alcohol<br />
campaign was launched using a range of<br />
promotional materials to encourage people to<br />
consider their consumption.<br />
An extensive physical activity campaign<br />
consisting of TV advertising, a magazine, leaflet,<br />
poster and the getalifegetactive.com website<br />
took place, and the ‘Solvent abuse can kill’<br />
Corporate communications<br />
We produced six issues of Inform to keep<br />
colleagues up to date on HPA work. Other<br />
reports included the 11 th annual CINDI<br />
highlights, the IfH update 2005 and our Annual<br />
report. Our staff survey ‘Your views count’,<br />
conducted in 2004, which examined staff<br />
attitudes towards issues related to working for<br />
the HPA was readdressed during the year<br />
through a staff feedback day.<br />
Press and publicity<br />
The HPA press office continued to provide an<br />
efficient proactive service to both local and<br />
national media on a range of health promotion<br />
issues. Significant coverage was gained for a<br />
number of campaigns and enquiries about<br />
alcohol, drugs and mental health increased<br />
substantially.<br />
Future developments<br />
We will continue to look for innovative and<br />
effective ways of making our work more<br />
accessible to the wide range of groups that we<br />
serve, within the capacity and resources available<br />
to us and in accordance with our<br />
communications strategy and protocols.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 21
International collaboration<br />
During the year we contributed to the wider<br />
health promotion arenas through linking with<br />
organisations and agencies in the Republic of<br />
Ireland (RoI), the UK and internationally.<br />
Cross-border<br />
We met partners from the DHSSPS and the<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> Unit in the Department of<br />
<strong>Health</strong> and Children (RoI) to address strategic<br />
issues. The first all-island breastfeeding<br />
conference, organised by the HPA and the<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> Unit (RoI), took place in Belfast<br />
and we took on the role of coordination centre<br />
for WHO HPH in Northern Ireland for four years.<br />
We were also among the organisers, with WHO<br />
and the two cross-border networks of HPH, of<br />
the 13 th international HPH conference in Dublin.<br />
Work to develop joint initiatives on suicide<br />
prevention with the National Office of Suicide<br />
Prevention in RoI also began.<br />
East/west collaboration<br />
The HPA along with the DHSSPS, the<br />
Department of <strong>Health</strong> and Children (RoI), the<br />
Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly<br />
Government, and the National Institute for Mental<br />
<strong>Health</strong> (England) works with The Clifford Beers<br />
Foundation to organise an annual mental health<br />
promotion conference. Over 300 participants met<br />
in Dublin during 2005.<br />
We work in partnership with the mental health<br />
sub-group of Cooperation and Working Together<br />
and Aware Defeat Depression to pilot a Mental<br />
<strong>Health</strong> First Aid programme in the border regions<br />
of Ireland. This involved collaboration with the<br />
Scottish Executive. We also contributed to the<br />
UK mental health enquiry, hosted two UNICEF<br />
UK Baby Friendly Initiative workshops and jointly<br />
delivered a three day breastfeeding management<br />
course with UNICEF. We also facilitated the first<br />
meeting of the steering group for HPH as part of<br />
our <strong>Health</strong> Promoting <strong>Health</strong> Service programme.<br />
Further meetings and collaboration with England,<br />
Scotland and Wales are planned.<br />
WHO/CINDI<br />
We enhanced links with WHO through work as a<br />
WHO Collaborating Centre for Training and<br />
Research in Communications and Information<br />
Technology in <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> and Disease<br />
Prevention. This remit was further fulfilled through<br />
the WHO’s CINDI (Countrywide Integrated<br />
Noncommunicable Diseases Intervention)<br />
Programme, coordination of CINDI activities in<br />
Northern Ireland for the 16 th year, and compilation<br />
of the 11 th edition of CINDI highlights.<br />
Communications world-wide<br />
This year we continued to share communications<br />
expertise with other health organisations across<br />
the world. Campaign ads and publications<br />
covering passive smoking, breastfeeding, drugs<br />
awareness, and bottle feeding were adapted by<br />
health organisations in Australia, England, Iceland,<br />
Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia and Wales.<br />
Attending the HPH conference in Dublin are, from left:<br />
Chris Fitzgerald, Department of <strong>Health</strong> and Children; Sean<br />
Power TD, Minister of State, Department of <strong>Health</strong> and<br />
Children; Dr Mila Garcia-Barbero, WHO; and Dr Brian<br />
Gaffney, Chief Executive, HPA.<br />
International events<br />
Staff attended several major international<br />
conferences, training initiatives and national<br />
health network meetings including an exchange<br />
programme in Boston on public policy and<br />
advocacy. We were also part of the programme<br />
committee of the European conference on<br />
chronic disease prevention in Finland.<br />
Future developments<br />
We welcome the opportunity to further develop<br />
cross border collaboration through a partnership<br />
approach with the recently established <strong>Health</strong><br />
Service Executive in RoI and will be developing<br />
closer links and collaboration around public<br />
health issues with the Centre for Public <strong>Health</strong><br />
Excellence at the National Institute for <strong>Health</strong> and<br />
Clinical Excellence (NICE) in England.<br />
22 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Corporate services<br />
Financial review<br />
The financial statements show that income<br />
decreased slightly to £4.05 million, a drop of<br />
7.2% on 2004–2005. This was due in large part<br />
to a review by our sponsoring department of the<br />
work required in support of the breastfeeding<br />
strategy and the public information requirements<br />
for health protection and smoking.<br />
As expected, there was also a drop in operating<br />
expenses from the 2004–2005 year. The total<br />
operating expenses were £4.05 million, with<br />
40% of this spent on salaries and wages (an<br />
increase from 31% on the previous year) and<br />
38% spent on public and professional information<br />
(49% of operating expenses 2004–2005).<br />
Investment in capital for the year was £39,000,<br />
primarily in IT and communications equipment.<br />
The largest short-term debtor is the DHSSPS,<br />
and the reduction in revenue funding is reflected<br />
in the lower level of short-term debt shown as a<br />
current asset in the balance sheet.<br />
Controls assurance<br />
A number of controls assurance standards have<br />
been identified by the DHSSPS to ensure all<br />
HPSS bodies put basic structures and<br />
processes in place to underpin a sound system<br />
of risk management. In the 2005–2006 year,<br />
HPA performance against the standards is<br />
shown in the table below.<br />
Investors in People (IiP)<br />
We are proud to have been re-accredited an<br />
Investor in People (IiP). We are one of the first<br />
organisations locally to have been assessed<br />
using the new profile framework.<br />
Premises<br />
The growth of the HPA has placed increased<br />
demand on accommodation. A longer-term solution<br />
will need to be found.<br />
Comments and complaints<br />
This year we received a number of formal<br />
positive comments in recognition of our work. No<br />
complaints were received. If you wish to make a<br />
formal comment or complaint, please write to:<br />
Les McLean, Director of Corporate Services and<br />
Organisational Development, <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong><br />
<strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland, 18 Ormeau Avenue,<br />
Belfast BT2 8HS.<br />
Future developments<br />
In terms of financial and human resource<br />
management, the challenge presented by Agenda<br />
for Change is likely to have a significant impact in<br />
2006–2007, as will the management of change<br />
required as a result of the RPA.<br />
A summary of the HPA’s business aims for<br />
2006–2007 is contained within our business<br />
plan, which is available from Les McLean at the<br />
above address.<br />
Standard Progress expected by Position recorded by<br />
DHSSPS in 2005/2006 HPA in 2005–2006<br />
Financial management Substantive Substantive<br />
Governance Substantive Substantive<br />
Risk management Substantive Substantive<br />
Buildings, land, plant and<br />
non-medical equipment Moderate Moderate<br />
Fire safety Substantive Substantive<br />
<strong>Health</strong> and safety Moderate Moderate<br />
Human resources Moderate Substantive<br />
Information and communication<br />
technology Moderate Substantive<br />
Environmental management Moderate Moderate<br />
Waste management Substantive Substantive<br />
Records management Moderate Moderate<br />
Purchase and supply Moderate Moderate<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 23
Operating and financial review<br />
REVENUE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2006<br />
2006 2005<br />
£ £<br />
Income from activities 3,911,198 4,268,185<br />
Other operating income 141,610 102,676<br />
4,052,808 4,370,861<br />
Operating expenses 4,052,488 4,386,155<br />
Operating surplus/(deficit) 320 (15,294)<br />
Operating surplus/(deficit) before provisions 320 (15,294)<br />
Provisions for future obligations 0 0<br />
Retained surplus/(deficit) for the financial year 320 (15,294)<br />
Adjustment to add back:<br />
Notional cost of capital 4,642 4,676<br />
Other notional costs 35,568 47,927<br />
Retained surplus/(deficit) for the financial year<br />
excluding notional costs 40,530 37,309<br />
All income and expenditure is derived from continuing activities.<br />
CAPITAL INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2006<br />
Income<br />
2006 2005<br />
£ £<br />
Capital advances from DHSSPS 0 0<br />
Other capital income 0 0<br />
Total capital income 0 0<br />
Expenditure<br />
Equipment 39,644 36,414<br />
Total capital expenditure 39,644 36,414<br />
Surplus/(deficit) for the financial year (39,644) (36,414)<br />
24 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Operating and financial review<br />
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2006<br />
2006 2005<br />
£ £<br />
FIXED ASSETS<br />
Tangible assets 129,106 136,166<br />
CURRENT ASSETS<br />
Stock 4,163 3,911<br />
Debtors: amounts receivable within one year 462,414 596,902<br />
Debtors: amounts receivable after one year 19,220 2,453<br />
Cash at bank and in hand 2,190 6,208<br />
487,987 609,474<br />
CURRENT LIABILITIES<br />
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year (464,862) (602,211)<br />
Net current assets/(liabilities) 23,125 7,263<br />
Total assets less current liabilities 152,231 143,429<br />
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year (19,000) (4,023)<br />
Provisions for liabilities and charges 0 0<br />
TOTAL ASSETS EMPLOYED 133,231 139,406<br />
FINANCED BY:<br />
Capital reserve:<br />
Capital account 129,106 136,166<br />
Income and expenditure reserve:<br />
Revenue 273,552 233,023<br />
Capital (269,427) (229,783)<br />
133,231 139,406<br />
STATEMENT OF TOTAL RECOGNISED GAINS AND<br />
LOSSES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2006<br />
2006 2005<br />
£ £<br />
Revenue surplus/(deficit) for the financial year 40,530 37,309<br />
Unrealised surplus/(deficit) on the revaluation and<br />
indexation of fixed assets (42,555) 981<br />
Total gains/(losses) recognised for the financial year (2,025) 38,290<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 25
Operating and financial review<br />
CASH FLOW STATEMENT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2006<br />
2006 2005<br />
£ £<br />
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating<br />
activities 35,626 32,055<br />
Capital expenditure<br />
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets (39,644) (36,414)<br />
Proceeds from sales of tangible fixed assets 0 0<br />
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from capital expenditure (39,644) (36,414)<br />
Management of liquid resources<br />
Purchase of current asset investment 0 0<br />
Sale of current asset investment 0 0<br />
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from management<br />
of liquid resources 0 0<br />
Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing (4,018) (4,359)<br />
Financing<br />
Capital funding 0 0<br />
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from financing<br />
Increase/(decrease) in cash and bank balances (4,018) (4,359)<br />
26 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Remuneration report<br />
The salary, pension entitlements, and the value of any taxable benefits in kind of the most senior<br />
member of the Northern Ireland <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> (NIHPA) were as follows:<br />
Salary<br />
including<br />
performance<br />
pay<br />
Benefits in<br />
kind<br />
Real<br />
increase in<br />
pension and<br />
related lump<br />
sum at<br />
age 60<br />
Total<br />
accrued<br />
pension at<br />
age 60 and<br />
related<br />
lump sum<br />
CETV at<br />
31/3/05<br />
CETV at<br />
31/3/06<br />
Real<br />
increase in<br />
CETV after<br />
adjustment<br />
for inflation<br />
and<br />
changes in<br />
market<br />
investment<br />
factors<br />
£’000 £ £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000<br />
Executive member – Dr Brian Gaffney<br />
115-120* 0 2 85 278 316 21<br />
*Includes payment for regularisation of Chief Executive contract backdated to 2001/2 financial year<br />
and amount payable in respect of new consultant contract.<br />
Non-executive member – Alice Quinn<br />
7-8 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a<br />
The following non-executive members receive no remuneration:<br />
Tina Gallagher, Anthony Harbinson, Janet Leckey, Mary MacDonnell, Professor Stewart McNulty, Tom<br />
Moore, Valerie Owens, Dr Colin Sullivan<br />
The HPA’s remuneration committee is made up of the following board members: Alice Quinn, Janet<br />
Leckey and Professor Stewart McNulty. The committee advises the Board on remuneration and terms<br />
of service of the Chief Executive and senior managers, and any other matters concerning staff<br />
remuneration which are a matter for HPA determination. The advice provided and any<br />
recommendations made are based on current DHSSPS guidance and policy.<br />
As non-executive members do not receive pensionable remuneration, there will be no entries in<br />
respect of pensions for non-executive members. A Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) is the<br />
actuarially assessed capital value of the pension scheme benefits accrued by a member at a particular<br />
point in time. The benefits valued are the member’s accrued benefits and any contingent spouse’s<br />
pension payable from the scheme.<br />
A CETV is a payment made by a pension scheme, or arrangement to secure pension benefits in<br />
another pension scheme or arrangement when the member leaves the scheme and chooses to<br />
transfer the benefits accrued in their former scheme. The pension figures shown relate to the benefits<br />
that the individual has accrued as a consequence of their total membership of the pension scheme,<br />
not just their service in a senior capacity to which the disclosure applies. The CETV figures, and from<br />
2004/05 the other pension details, include the value of any pension benefits in another scheme or<br />
arrangement which the individual has transferred to the HPSS pension scheme. They also include any<br />
additional pension benefit accrued to the member as a result of their purchasing additional years of<br />
pension service in the scheme at their own cost. CETVs are calculated within the guidelines and<br />
framework prescribed by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.<br />
Real increase in CETV<br />
This reflects the increase in CETV effectively funded by the employer. It takes account of the increase<br />
in accrued pension due to inflation, contributions paid by the employee (including the value of any<br />
benefits transferred from another pension scheme or arrangement) and uses common market valuation<br />
factors for the start and end of the period.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 27
HPSS superannuation scheme<br />
Pension benefits are provided through the HPSS superannuation scheme. This scheme is a ‘final<br />
salary’ defined benefit scheme. The scheme is unfunded with the cost of benefits met by monies voted<br />
by Parliament each year. Pensions that are payable are increased annually in line with changes in the<br />
Retail Prices Index. The contribution rate for most members is 6% of pensionable pay: manual workers<br />
pay 5%. Benefits accrue at the rate of 1/80 th of pensionable salary for each year of service. In<br />
addition, a lump sum equivalent to three years’ pension is payable on retirement.<br />
The HPSS superannuation scheme is an unfunded defined benefit scheme which produces its own<br />
resource accounts, but the HPA is unable to identify its share of the underlying assets and liabilities.<br />
The most up-to-date actuarial valuation was carried out at 31 March 2003 and details of this valuation<br />
are available in the HPSS superannuation scheme resource accounts.<br />
For 2005/06, employers’ contributions of £85,795 were payable to the HPSS superannuation scheme<br />
for all staff at the rate of 7%.<br />
Universities’ superannuation scheme<br />
Clinical joint appointment staff and staff on secondment paid by Queen’s University, Belfast, are<br />
members of the universities’ superannuation scheme. Employer contributions are 14% of pensionable<br />
pay. Employers’ contributions of £11,502 were paid for these staff.<br />
Dr Brian Gaffney<br />
Chief Executive<br />
Public sector payment policy<br />
Measure of compliance<br />
The DHSSPS requires that the HPA pays its non-HPSS trade creditors in accordance with the<br />
Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Prompt Payment Code and Government Accounting Rules.<br />
The Government Accounting Rules require that "timing of payment should normally be stated in the<br />
contract… where there is not contractual provision departments should pay within 30 days of<br />
receipt of goods and services or on the presentation of a valid invoice, whichever is the later".<br />
The HPA’s compliance for 2005/06, based on a sample of 5% of non HPSS trade creditors, was:<br />
2006 2006 2005 2005<br />
number value number value<br />
£ £<br />
Total bills sampled 2005/06 73 708,637 68 326,569<br />
Total bills sampled paid within 30 days 70 707,390 64 320,392<br />
% of sampled bills paid within 30 days 95.8% 99.8% 94.1% 98.1%<br />
28 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
Review of Public Administration (RPA)<br />
The announcement of the RPA in November 2005 set out the proposals for the reform of the HPSS.<br />
Implementation of the RPA proposals will see the establishment of a new <strong>Health</strong> and Social Services<br />
Authority (HSSA) and seven Local Commissioning Groups (LCGs). An independent Patient and<br />
Client Council will also be established to safeguard the interests of service users. All these changes<br />
will be implemented in April 2008.<br />
Delivery of health and personal social services will be in the hands of five new Trusts which will<br />
replace 18 of the existing Trusts. The new Trusts will come into operation in April 2007. The Northern<br />
Ireland Ambulance Service will continue to provide a regional ambulance service.<br />
The RPA will also see a significant reduction in non-departmental bodies, with only the Blood<br />
Transfusion Service, the Social Care Council and the Guardian Ad Litem <strong>Agency</strong> unaffected. Several<br />
organisations, including the HPA, will be absorbed into the new HSSA. The Fire Authority will, in due<br />
course, become the responsibility of local government.<br />
The DHSSPS has made a central provision for the identifiable one-off investment needed to underpin<br />
the establishment of the new HPSS structures created following the RPA. The expenditure in question<br />
relates to early leaving payments which are not yet quantifiable at individual HPSS level.<br />
Going concern<br />
Grants for 2006/07, taking into account the amounts required to meet the HPA’s liabilities falling due<br />
in that year, have already been included in the DHSSPS’s estimates for that year, which have been<br />
approved by Parliament, and there is no reason to believe that the DHSSPS’s future sponsorship and<br />
future parliamentary approval will not be forthcoming. It has accordingly been considered appropriate<br />
to adopt a going concern basis for the preparation of these financial statements.<br />
This Annual report, including the summary financial statements, was approved by the HPA Board at its<br />
meeting on 10 August 2006.<br />
Alice Quinn<br />
Chair<br />
Dr Brian Gaffney<br />
Chief Executive<br />
This summary financial statement does not contain sufficient information for a full understanding of the<br />
activities and performance of the HPA. For further information, the full accounts including the<br />
Statement of Internal Control and Annual report and Auditor’s Report for the year ended 31 March<br />
2006 should be consulted.<br />
Copies of the HPA’s full accounts and associated reports can be obtained from Marie McCloskey,<br />
Finance and Administration Manager, <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland, 18 Ormeau<br />
Avenue, Belfast BT2 8HS. Email: m.mccloskey@hpani.org.uk<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 29
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong><br />
Statement of the Comptroller and Auditor General to the House of Commons and the<br />
Northern Ireland Assembly<br />
I have examined the summary financial statement of the <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong>.<br />
Respective responsibilities of the <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland,<br />
Accountable Officer and Auditor<br />
The summary financial statement is the responsibility of the <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> and<br />
Accountable Officer.<br />
My responsibility is to report to you my opinion on the consistency of the summary financial statement<br />
within the Annual report with the full financial statements, and its compliance with the relevant<br />
requirements of the <strong>Health</strong> and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, as amended,<br />
and Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety directions made thereunder.<br />
I also read the other information contained in the Annual report, and consider whether it is consistent<br />
with the summary financial statements. This other information comprises only the Chair’s Statement,<br />
the Operating and Financial Review, and the unaudited part of the Remuneration Report. I consider<br />
the implications for my report if I become aware of any apparent misstatements or material<br />
inconsistencies with the summary financial statement. My responsibilities do not extend to any other<br />
information.<br />
Basis of opinion<br />
I have conducted my work in accordance with Bulletin 1999/6 ‘The auditors’ statement on the<br />
summary financial statement’ issued by the Auditing Practices Board for use in the United Kingdom.<br />
Opinion<br />
In my opinion the summary financial statement is consistent with the full financial statements of the<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland for the year ended 31 March 2006 and complies with<br />
the applicable requirements of the <strong>Health</strong> and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order<br />
1972, as amended, and Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety directions made<br />
thereunder.<br />
JM Dowdall CB<br />
Comptroller and Auditor General<br />
August 2006<br />
Northern Ireland Audit Office<br />
106 University Street<br />
Belfast BT7 1EU<br />
30 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
HPA Board<br />
The HPA Board, back from left:<br />
Dr Colin Sullivan, Tina<br />
Gallagher, Professor Stewart<br />
McNulty, Janet Leckey, Tom<br />
Moore and Mary MacDonnell;<br />
front, from left, Valerie Owens, Dr<br />
Brian Gaffney, Alice Quinn and<br />
Anthony Harbinson.<br />
The HPA’s work is managed by a Board of 10<br />
members appointed by the Minister with<br />
responsibility for <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and<br />
Public Safety. Members contribute independent<br />
advice and expertise on issues of strategy and<br />
performance. Each Board member acts in a<br />
personal, non-representative capacity, and nonexecutive<br />
members - with the exception of the<br />
Chair - give their services without remuneration.<br />
The Board meets four times a year to discuss<br />
strategy, monitor performance and assist in the<br />
development of priorities and policies. A register<br />
of Board members’ interests is available on<br />
request.<br />
Ms Alice Quinn<br />
Chair of the HPA. She joined the HPA after a<br />
career in retailing with Marks and Spencer. She<br />
is Chair of Proteus, an independent member of<br />
the Project Board of the Public Prosecution<br />
Service, a board member of Enterprise Ulster<br />
and of Fold Housing Association and a member<br />
of the International Women's Forum.<br />
Dr Brian Gaffney<br />
Chief Executive of the HPA. He has had broad<br />
experience in the health service as a GP, as a<br />
Consultant in Public <strong>Health</strong> Medicine and in<br />
research and academic medicine. He is also the<br />
Head of the World <strong>Health</strong> Organization<br />
Collaborating Centre based at the HPA.<br />
Ms Tina Gallagher<br />
Head of Channel Strategy Integration for HM<br />
Revenue and Customs.<br />
Mr Anthony Harbinson<br />
A member of the Northern<br />
Ireland Senior Civil Service<br />
since joining in 2001 after 15<br />
years working in the Northern<br />
Ireland health service.<br />
Ms Janet Leckey<br />
Lay assessor with the National Clinical<br />
Assessment Service (NCAS) and a trustee of<br />
Cruse Bereavement Care. She sits as a lay<br />
magistrate and is currently Chair of the Northern<br />
Ireland Lay Magistrates' Association.<br />
Ms Mary MacDonnell<br />
Primary Care Manager, Services for Older<br />
People, with Down Lisburn <strong>Health</strong> and Social<br />
Services Trust in Lisburn <strong>Health</strong> Centre (Lisburn,<br />
Dunmurry, Hillsborough).<br />
Professor Stewart McNulty<br />
Professor Emeritus of Veterinary Science at<br />
Queen's University, Belfast, and former Chief<br />
Veterinary Research Officer, Department of<br />
Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD).<br />
Mr Tom Moore<br />
Former Education and Training Officer with the<br />
Irish Congress of Trade Unions. A Director on<br />
Newry and Mourne Local Strategy Partnership<br />
and its representative on the Southern Investing<br />
for <strong>Health</strong> Partnership.<br />
Ms Valerie Owens<br />
Practice Development Manager with the<br />
Probation Board for Northern Ireland.<br />
Dr Colin Sullivan<br />
Director of Organisational Development within<br />
the Central Services <strong>Agency</strong> of the <strong>Health</strong> and<br />
Personal Social Services.<br />
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006 | 31
HPA staff and directors<br />
(from 31 March 2005 to 1 April 2006)<br />
Senior management team<br />
Linda Barclay<br />
Director of Programme Development<br />
Dr Angela Bell<br />
Director of Maternal and Child <strong>Health</strong><br />
Dr Brian Gaffney<br />
Chief Executive<br />
Les McLean<br />
Director of Corporate Services and<br />
Organisational Development<br />
Senior managers<br />
Victoria Creasy<br />
Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco<br />
Angela McComb<br />
Nutrition, Physical Activity and Oral <strong>Health</strong><br />
Deirdre McNamee<br />
Mental <strong>Health</strong>, Teenage Pregnancy and<br />
Sexual <strong>Health</strong><br />
Aodhan O’Donnell<br />
Investing for <strong>Health</strong><br />
Stephen Wilson<br />
Planning and Coordination<br />
Chief Executive’s office<br />
Heather McDermott<br />
Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive<br />
(until 19 August 2005)<br />
Janet Stanage<br />
Personal Assistant to the Chief Executive<br />
(until 31 March 2006)<br />
Dr John Yarnell<br />
Senior Lecturer in Cardiovascular<br />
Epidemiology<br />
(Joint appointment with Queen’s University,<br />
Belfast.)<br />
Programme development<br />
Janet Calvert<br />
Regional Breastfeeding Coordinator<br />
Julie Hill<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Promoting Workplaces Coordinator<br />
Barbara Porter<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Promoting <strong>Health</strong> Service<br />
Coordinator (Supporting <strong>Health</strong> in<br />
Hospitals)<br />
David Porter<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Promoting Schools Coordinator<br />
Research, evaluation and information<br />
Sarah Bothwell<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Development Officer (Information)<br />
Dr Gavin Breslin<br />
Research Officer<br />
Jo Brizzell<br />
Research Officer (until 30 June 2005)<br />
Laura Donnelly<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Development Officer (Nutrition)<br />
Dr Gillian Gilmore<br />
Research Officer<br />
Dr Diana Gossrau-Breen<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Development Officer (Information<br />
and Research)<br />
Naomi McCay<br />
Research Manager<br />
Lindsay McDonald<br />
Research Officer<br />
Julie Neill<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Development Officer (Information)<br />
Sara Thompson<br />
<strong>Health</strong> Development Officer (Information)<br />
(until 30 November 2005)<br />
Communications<br />
Sean Arbuckle<br />
Graphic Artist<br />
Catherine Brown<br />
Publications Officer<br />
Sinead Byrne<br />
Marketing Officer<br />
Stephen Cousins<br />
Web Developer<br />
Michele Crooks<br />
Publications Officer<br />
Jenny Dougan<br />
Public Relations Officer<br />
Linda Giles<br />
Publications Officer<br />
Rachel Kelly<br />
Communications Manager<br />
(until 31 October 2005)<br />
Ruth Knowles<br />
Publications Development Manager<br />
Alan Martin<br />
Design, Production and Electronic<br />
Communications Manager<br />
Brian McCalden<br />
Publications Officer<br />
6-month FTC to cover maternity leave<br />
(until 4 November 2005)<br />
Margaret McCrory<br />
Marketing Manager<br />
Adam McCune<br />
Web Development Assistant<br />
Rosemary McGaughey<br />
Public Relations Officer<br />
1-year FTC to cover maternity leave<br />
Arthur McVeigh<br />
Graphic Artist<br />
Tony Sheridan<br />
Communications Manager<br />
Judith Wallwin<br />
Graphic Artist<br />
1-year FTC to cover career break<br />
(until 31 March 2006)<br />
CEMACH (NI)<br />
Terry Falconer<br />
CEMACH Project Manager<br />
Corporate services<br />
Donna Beer<br />
Support Services Administrator<br />
Lesley Blackstock<br />
Support Services Administrator<br />
Malcolm Buchanan<br />
Clerical Officer with reception duties<br />
Fiona Campbell<br />
Human Resources Manager<br />
Carrie Crossan<br />
Support Services Administrator<br />
Catherine Curley<br />
Catering Assistant<br />
Stephanie Fitzsimons<br />
Clerical Officer with reception duties<br />
6-month FTC to cover maternity leave<br />
Karen Glass<br />
Support Services Administrator<br />
6-month FTC to cover maternity leave<br />
(until 16 September 2005)<br />
Claire Hind<br />
Events Coordinator<br />
Roger Irwin<br />
Clerical Officer (until 12 August 2005)<br />
Shane MacManus<br />
IT Manager<br />
Ann Marie McCann<br />
Support Services Administrator<br />
Marie McCloskey<br />
Finance and Administration Manager<br />
Noreen Savage<br />
Human Resources Officer<br />
Kirsten Sharvin<br />
Clerical Officer<br />
Ciara Shivers<br />
Finance Assistant<br />
32 | <strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland | Annual report 2005 - 2006
References<br />
HPA publications referred to within this report can be accessed<br />
through our corporate website at<br />
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk/Resources/resourcesmenu.htm<br />
1. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety.<br />
Investing for <strong>Health</strong>. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2002.<br />
2. Protect life: a shared vision www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/suicideconsultation-main-report.pdf<br />
Last accessed 28 June 2006.<br />
3. Northern Ireland Executive. Review of public administration.<br />
www.archive.rpani.gov.uk/ Last accessed 30 June 2006.<br />
19. Department of Education for Northern Ireland. Relationships<br />
and sexuality education (RSE) guidelines. Belfast: DENI, 2001.<br />
20. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety.<br />
Promoting mental health strategy and action plan 2003-2008.<br />
Belfast: DHSSPS, 2003:<br />
21. Department of Education for Northern Ireland. Evaluation of the<br />
pilot of the catering for healthier lifestyles standards in Northern<br />
Ireland. Belfast: DENI, 2005.<br />
4. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety. Fit<br />
futures: focus on food, activity and young people. Belfast:<br />
DHSSPS, 2006.<br />
5. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety. Review<br />
of the public health function in Northern Ireland: final report. Belfast:<br />
DHSSPS, 2004.<br />
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strategy for Northern Ireland. Belfast: DSD, 2004.<br />
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health: a long-term workplace health strategy for Northern Ireland.<br />
Belfast:HSENI, 2003.<br />
8. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety. Draft<br />
smoking (Northern Ireland) order 2006. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2006.<br />
9. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety. New<br />
strategic direction for alcohol and drugs 2006-2011. Belfast:<br />
DHSSPS, 2006.<br />
10. Department for Social Development. Liquor licensing: the way<br />
forward. Government proposals to reform liquor licensing law in<br />
Northern Ireland (consultation document). Belfast: DSD, 2005.<br />
11. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research <strong>Agency</strong>. Young<br />
persons behaviour and attitudes survey 2000. Main results and<br />
summary bulletin can be downloaded from<br />
www.research.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/ypbas.htm<br />
12. Northern Ireland Statistics and Research <strong>Agency</strong>. Young<br />
persons behaviour and attitudes survey. Belfast: NISRA, 2003.<br />
13. Department of <strong>Health</strong> and Social Services. Breastfeeding<br />
strategy for Northern Ireland. Belfast: DHSS, 1999.<br />
14. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety. A<br />
healthier future: a twenty year vision for health and well being in<br />
Northern Ireland. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2005.<br />
15. Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child <strong>Health</strong>. Why<br />
mothers die, 2000-2002: the sixth report of the confidential<br />
enquiries into maternal deaths in the United Kingdom. London:<br />
RCOG Press, 2004.<br />
16. Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child <strong>Health</strong>. Perinatal<br />
mortality surveillance 2004: England, Wales and Northern Ireland.<br />
London: CEMACH, 2006.<br />
17. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety.<br />
Teenage pregnancy and parenthood: strategy and action plan<br />
2002–2007. Belfast: DHSSPS, 2002.<br />
18. Department of <strong>Health</strong>, Social Services and Public Safety. A five<br />
year sexual health promotion strategy and action plan (consultation<br />
document). Belfast: DHSSPS, 2003.<br />
*Photo on page 8 used with kind permission of Conservation<br />
Volunteers.
<strong>Health</strong> <strong>Promotion</strong> <strong>Agency</strong> for Northern Ireland<br />
18 Ormeau Avenue, Belfast BT2 8HS<br />
Tel: 028 9031 1611 (voice/minicom) Fax: 028 9031 1711<br />
www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk<br />
ISBN-13: 978 1 874602 54 5<br />
ISBN-10: 1 874602 54 9<br />
09/06