Dept of Health & Children Annual Output Statement 2009 for Health Group of Votes

The overall aim of this Vote Group is to provide health and personal social services to improve the health and well being of the people of Ireland in a manner that promotes better health for every one, fair access, responsive and appropriate care delivery and high performance. The money voted goes to the Department of Health and Children (Vote 39), the Health Service Executive (Vote 40), and the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (Vote 41). The Department of Health and Children has responsibility for the overall organisational, legislative, policy and financial accountability framework for the health sector. The Health Service Executive is responsible for the management and delivery of health and personal social services within available resources. The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs brings together functions relating to children and their well being, along with policy functions on Youth Justice and Early Years Education. This Output Statement is the third of its kind attempting to match outputs and strategic impacts to financial and staffing resources for the financial year. The Statement also reports on outputs achieved for 2008. Click here to download PDF 443kb

IPH Response to Dept of Justice and Equality Review of the Code of Practice on the Sale and Display of Alcohol in Mixed Trading Premises

IPH responded to the Department of Justice, Equality and Defence review of the voluntary Code of Practice for the display and sale of alcohol in supermarkets, convenience stores and similar mixed trading outlets. The voluntary Code was introduced in 2008 as an alternative to the statutory rules for structural separation of alcohol products in mixed trading outlets which are set out in section 9 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2008. Interested bodies and individuals were invited to submit comments on the Compliance Report for 2011 and on the effectiveness of the voluntary approach to structural separation by 20th December 2011. The Minister said he intended to also seek the views of the Minister for Health and the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality before reaching any decision on whether to bring the statutory rules in the 2008 Act into operation.

Review of Health Impact Assessment for the Institute of Public Health in Ireland

IPH commissioned a review of HIA work in 2009 to detail progress and achievements of HIA from 2001. This included an assessment of current levels of HIA awareness and activity and suggestions for the direction of future work.

Review of Health Impact Assessment

IPH commissioned a review of HIA work in 2009 to detail progress and achievements of HIA from 2001.  This included an assessment of current levels of HIA awareness and activity and suggestions for the direction of future work.

DETERMINE Working document #4 'Economic arguments for addressing social determinants of health inequalities'

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is a partner in the European project DETERMINE, building on its previous involvement in the Closing the Gap project in 2004-2006. In Year 2 the DETERMINE project  focused on identifying and exploring economic arguments to support action on social determinants of health inequalities.  Working document #4 'Economic arguments for addressing social determinants of health inequalities' presents the findings.

Partnerships: community involvement and perceptions of health inequalities

The Research and Development Office for Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland funded the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) to undertake research into partnerships between 2003 and 2006, as part of their New Targeting Social Need programme.The aim of the research was to identify the impacts of multisectoral partnerships, how they can be measured, and what contribution they make to tackling inequalities in health. This document is one of a suite of three produced as a result of this work.

DETERMINE Working Document #1 'Policies and actions addressing the social determinants of health inequalities: examples of activity at EU member state level in Europe'

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is a partner in the European project DETERMINE, building on its previous involvement in the Closing the Gap project in 2004-2006. In the first year of the project (2007-2008) 15 DETERMINE partners identified policies and actions that have taken place within countries, and at the EU level, to address Social Determinants of Health Inequalities. These policies and actions were identified via a questionnaire, which also identified structures and tools/mechanisms being used in the country to support a 'health in all policy' approach.

Consideration of health in Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) on the island of Ireland

This IPH report explores the extent health was incorporated into SEA in a manner which would suggest a good understanding of the many social and economic factors which strongly influence health. The research identifies that a consideration of health is not routinely included in SEAs. There is a need to build capacity and change mindsets in how SEAs are undertaken to more completely factor in the health impacts.

IPH response to Department of Health (ROI) consultation on National Strategy on Dementia

The current prevalence of dementia and its associated economic and social burden presents a challenge for the configuration of dementia care services at present and it is clear that this challenge will become ever more urgent as a consequence of population ageing. IPH supports the development of a Dementia Strategy in Ireland that is comprehensive and holistic. We recommend that the strategy encompasses aspects of prevention as well as optimal management at all stages of the disease. IPH considers that a social determinants of health approach that focuses on the prevention of disease and disability could form an important strand of the strategy. Key points from IPH response IPH would emphasise the following key priorities for inclusion in the Dementia Strategy.   Adoption of a public health approach as set out by WHO (2011) and the development of an implementation plan and structures to support the Strategy A commitment to primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of dementia.  Resourcing of a programme of research to support primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of dementia to ensure a systematic approach to generate an evidence-base and disseminate pertinent findings in the Irish context. Emphasis should be placed on high quality research specifically to:enhance information systems on dementia at a national level A life course approach to tackle the social determinants of dementia and ill-health in later life. Supporting carers for people with dementia

IPH response to Department of Health (UK) Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products

Enhanced tobacco control policies and programmes are an important component of any strategic approach to improving population health and tackling health inequalities. The consultation on standardised packaging of tobacco products in the UK is particularly timely in view of the recent publication of the Ten Year Tobacco Strategy for Northern Ireland (DHSSPS, 2012). In this strategy the Department expressed its support for the introduction of further measures to reduce the influence of tobacco advertising and promotion upon children e.g. the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco.  IPH key points •    The extent of tobacco-related harm across the island of Ireland and across the UK is unacceptable. Increasingly comprehensive and effective tobacco-control interventions are required. •    IPH recommends the adoption of option 2: require standardised packaging of tobacco products. •    IPH acknowledges that as plain packaging has not yet been introduced in any country, it is not possible at this time to accurately forecast the extent and nature of this intervention on population level health outcomes in the UK context. •    The proposed approach appears comprehensive in addressing the direct and indirect ways in which elements of tobacco packaging can promote brand appeal and can portray impressions in respect of tobacco-related harm. Consideration should be given to include specific provisions relating to roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco packaging. Any approach needs to be regularly reviewed to take into account attempts to bypass restrictions and evaluate responses in respect of consumer choices. •    IPH considers that the introduction of plain packaging has the potential to support the achievement of the goals set out in the Ten Year Tobacco Control Strategy for Northern Ireland ( DHSSPS, 2012). •    Among children in Northern Ireland who reported trying their first cigarette, around one quarter were aged 11 or under and three quarters were 14 or under when they did so (DHSSPS, 2012).  The very young age of these children is concerning on many levels including their susceptibility to sophisticated branding and marketing techniques linked to tobacco packaging.

IPH response to Your Health is Your Wealth – Health and Wellbeing Framework 2012- 2020 (Department of Health)

The remit of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) is to promote cooperation for public health between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the areas of research and information, capacity building and policy advice. Our approach is to support Departments of Health and their agencies in both jurisdictions, and maximise the benefits of all-island cooperation to achieve practical benefits for people in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Department of Health is developing a Health and Wellbeing policy to improve the health of the population and reduce health inequalities by addressing causes of preventable illnesses. The Policy Framework is at an advanced stage with a number of background analytical documents prepared and published on the Department website to allow views to be incorporated into final drafts.  IPH responded to the consultation call in 2011 and we welcome the placement of these supporting documents on the Department website with the request for additional comments.

IPH response to the DSD consultation on regulations to prohibit or restrict irresponsible promotions of alcohol in Northern Ireland

IPH responded to the Department for Social Development consultation on the banning of certain promotions that may encourage irresponsible and excessive drinking. The consultation relates to regulations Article 57A(2)(d) of the 1996 Licensing Order “involving the supply of unlimited amounts of intoxicating liquor for a fixed charge (including any charge for entry to the premises)” and Article 31A(2)(d) of the Registration of Clubs Order “restricting the price at which the holder of a licence or the licence holder’s servant or agent may sell on licensed premises a package containing two or more intoxicating liquor products”. IPH welcomes this consultation and supports the Department’s proposals to restrict promotions that involve the supply of unlimited amounts of intoxicating liquor for a fixed charge. IPH welcomes this tangible action linked to the renewed commitment to tackling alcohol-related harms on the island of Ireland set out in the Steering Group Report on a National Substance Strategy (Dept of Health, 2012) and in the New Strategic Direction on Alcohol and Drugs (DHSSPS, 2011). IPH considers that irresponsible alcohol promotions can contribute to this burden of physical and mental ill-health, accidental and non-accidental injury and other harms associated with excessive alcohol consumption in Northern Ireland. As previously stated in the IPH submissions on the introduction of powers to prohibit or restrict irresponsible alcohol promotions (Dec, 2010), IPH considers that the issues of promotion and price are inter-related. The effectiveness of the proposed restrictions could be reinforced by the expeditious introduction of minimum unit pricing of alcohol on an all-island basis.

IPH response to European Review of the Social Determinants of Health and the Health Divide

IPH welcomes this European Review conducted by the Marmot Review Team which aims to inform action on social determinants of health and health equity within the forthcoming health policy for the European region, Health 2020. IPH calls for clear mandates supporting whole-of-government approaches to address social determinants and outlines some of the specific challenges and opportunities within the current Ireland and Northern Ireland policy landscape.

IPH response to the Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England post 2010

IPH contributed to the Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England being carried out by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Chair of the Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.  IPH acknowledges the immense work done by the Review team and welcomes the opportunity to inform its work. We see the review as a vital opportunity to provide a “catalyst for concerted action” not only in England but in its near neighbours in Northern Ireland and Ireland. Health inequalities are rife across the UK and Ireland despite a range of developments in policy and practice designed to create more equal opportunities for health. We commend the approach taken in the Review, which applies scientific rigour and the combined expertise of a number of defined task groups to seek solutions to the vexing challenge of health inequality.

IPH Submission to the Department of Health and Children Statement of Strategy 2008-2010

The Department of Health and Children Statement of Strategy will map out in broad terms the Department’s key areas of strategic action in the coming three years and act as the backdrop against which the Business Plans of each division of the Department will be prepared. The Institute’s recent submission on the Department’s Strategy Statement proposes that tackling inequalities in health form a key area of strategic action across all divisions within the Department in the coming three years. The Institute called for the Department to make additional commitments to tackle health inequalities at their root causes, in addition to developing services to meet the needs of poor and vulnerable members of society. The submission states that the full implementation of the National Health Information Strategy is now a matter of urgency and also strongly recommends that the Department makes the achievement of the recommendations of the recent A Strategy for Cancer Control in Ireland a priority in the coming years within its enhanced policy evaluation and analysis role. A stronger leadership role to advance the vision set out in the Primary Care Strategy is encouraged. The submission also recommends the development of a new set of high-level long-term targets relating to the reduction of inequalities to provide an overarching policy context against which related policies and the HSE operations could be structured.