The Public Health Agency (PHA) is the statutory body responsible for driving the public health and social wellbeing agenda in Northern Ireland, bringing together the wide range of public health functions and ensuring a renewed, enhanced and sustained focus on achieving key public health goals.
Since its establishment in 2009, the PHA has worked to improve and protect health and wellbeing, reduce health inequalities, promote healthy habits and reduce barriers to good health for the whole of the population of Northern Ireland.
The work of the PHA is multi-professional with a strong regional and local presence. It delivers four primary functions:
- Health improvement;
- Health protection;
- Public health, nursing and allied health professional support to commissioning and policy development:
- Research and development (R&D)
It also provides professional input to the commissioning process. The PHA is jointly responsible (with the HSCB) for the development of a fully integrated commissioning plan for health and social care in Northern Ireland.
The PHA also works in partnership with local government, key organisations and other sectors to achieve its goals.