Levelling up - Securing Health Improvement by Promoting Social Inclusion

Levelling up - Securing Health Improvement by Promoting Social Inclusion - A Cross Border Action Plan for the North West of Ireland  Vision - The aim of 'Levelling Up' is to work towards a society where all voices are heard, where the vulnerable and those on the margins are supported to be involved and in which plans developed for the people are shaped by the people. Their vision is of a region in which organisations and politicians actively demonstrate a commitment to equity – equity both within the North West and between the North West and the rest of Ireland North and South.

Health Improvement and Knowledge Management Subgroup Interim Report (PDF 138 KB)

Health Improvement and Knowledge Management Subgroup Interim Report January 2006

Draft Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) Order (PDF 56 KB)

Explanatory Memorandum

The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) NI Order 2003 (PDF 178 KB)

Draft Statutory Instruments

Watching your Weight in Pregnancy

Pregnant women in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area are learning how to manage their weight as a result of a project being funded by the Public Health Agency.The 'Watching your Weight in Pregnancy' project, being delivered by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, got underway in December 2011 to address the rising levels of obesity across the southern area. It also aims to reduce the impact that obesity can have on the health of women and their unborn children during pregnancy and birth.Two pilot programmes are currently underway in the Kilkeel area teaching both antenatal and post natal women that feeling good about yourself and your baby is important during pregnancy.The programmes provide information about managing weight during and after pregnancy and include advice on good nutrition along with opportunities to take part in appropriate physical activities. As part of the project, there have also been training sessions for midwives in the Southern HSC Trust on healthier eating and physical activity during pregnancy.Patricia McStay, Southern Trust Head of Midwifery, explained why there was a need for this project: "Every woman wants a healthy baby and we are supporting the women to improve their own health and wellbeing. We have been seeing increasing numbers of women who are overweight or obese at their first contact with the midwife. We want to support these women to manage their weight gain in pregnancy to reduce the risk of experiencing health complications such as high blood pressure, and diabetes in pregnancy."Angela McComb, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager, for the PHA, said: "The southern office of the PHA recognised the many risks associated with obesity in pregnancy, both to the mother and her baby, and allocated funding for this pilot project to test out ways in which these health risks can be reduced. "We look forward to seeing the results of the evaluation which will inform the further development of effective approaches to support pregnant women to manage their weight both locally and across Northern Ireland."

CHIP-Community Health Improvement Programme (Group-Based)

This intervention aims to: - Increase fruit and vegetable intake - Increase activity levelsInitiate weight loss - Reduce health risks - Provide effective weight loss tools - Increase participant behaviour change skills

BGS response to the Health Foundation Improvement Report on Dementia Care

Dementia services have moved up the agenda in recent years, highlighted by the publication of the National Dementia Strategy in February 2009. The Health Foundation's improvement report on dementia care hopes to bring together data, research and good practice, with an assessment of the current quality gap.Background to The Health Foundation's Improvement Reports in 2010. At the end of 2009 the Health Foundation agreed a new research and development strategy with the following aims:To make a significant contribution to strengthening the evidence base on how to improve quality in the health care systems of the UK To ensure that this body of knowledge, and a commitment to developing the knowledge shapes our work programmes To promote the use of this evidence base by decision makers at all levels in the health care system Improvement reports will aim to engage the reader by presenting best practice evidence alongside data on current performance and introducing commentary and debate, interpretation about possible next steps and case studies.�� They will build on the success of the chart books produced to date: Bridging the Quality Gap in Stroke services�۪ Quality in healthcare in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland: an intra-UK chart book�۪, together with Bridging the Quality Gap in Heart Failure�۪ to be published early 2010. Improvement reports will be dynamic and flexible through use of a mix of print products and pages on the Health Foundation�۪s website.

Are We Choosing Health? The Impact of policy on the delivery of health improvement programmes and services

The Audit Commission and Healthcare Commission have jointly published 'Are we choosing health? The impact of policy on the delivery of health improvement programmes and services'. The report assesses the impact government policy has had over the past decade on: narrowing health inequalities; improving sexual and mental health; and reducing smoking, alcohol misuse and obesity.

Males into Primary Teaching - Report of the Primary Education Committee (2006)

In Ireland and in most other developed countries there are significantly more female than male teachers working in both first and second level schools. While this was not always the case, since the 1970s there has been a significant and continuous decline in the number of males entering the teaching profession, particularly at primary level. In recognition of the feminisation of primary teaching, the Minister for Education and Science established the Primary Education Committee in 2003. The main task of the Committee is to make recommendations on strategies and initiatives to increase the number of males entering primary teaching.

Report of the Steering Committee on the Establishment of the Teaching Council

Report of the Steering Committee on the Establishment of the Teaching Council. Provided by the Department of Education and Skills, Ireland.

Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Team (West) 2012 / 2013 Annual Report

In 2012/13 the Western Health Improvement Team invested over �4 million in a range of initiatives to address health and social wellbeing improvement and target inequalities.The range of initiatives access over 170 projects, which includes a mix of regular commissioning work and innovative development work testing new ideas. Over 250,000 individuals and groups were direct beneficiaries of the programmes; however, previous evaluations have demonstrated that the cascade effect of these initiatives was at least threefold.This comprehensive report outlines the broad range of activities and initiatives that the Western Health Improvement Team has supported during 2012/2013.