Pilot HIA of European Employment Strategy in Ireland

This pilot Health Impact Assessment (HIA) exercise was conducted as part of the ‘Policy Health Impact Assessment for the European Union’, commissioned by the European Commission ’s Directorate Generale Health and Consumer Protection (DG Sanco). The project is coordinated by Liverpool University and the research partners are from Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands. The aim of the European project is to develop a HIA methodology for assessing the health impacts of EU policies and activities. The purpose of the pilot HIA in Ireland was to test the methodology produced in the first phase of the project in 2002. The policy chosen for assessment was the European Employment Strategy. The Irish pilot used a range of methods suggested in the draft methodology but concentrated particularly on the participatory aspects of HIA. A key stakeholder group with knowledge of employment (including decision makers in labour market policy) was established to provide expert advice and support. Other methods used included policy analysis, information gathering from key informants, community profiling (including demographic and labour force data), data analysis, literature review, the production of a report and the development of recommendations.

Evaluation of Pilot One Stop Shop Programme

In November 2010, the Public Health Agencycommissioned Social Market Research (www.socialmarketresearch.co.uk) to undertake a formative evaluation of the pilot 'One Stop Shop' (OSS) Programme. This report presents the outcomes from this evaluation as well as recommendations to support the further development of the programme beyond the pilot period.

Accident & Emergency Nursing Assessment of Deliberate Self Harm. Exploring the Impact of Introducing a Suicide Education Programme and a Suicide Intent Scale into A&E/MAU Nursing Practice: A Pilot Study

A proposal to pilot nursing assessment of self harm in Accident and Emergency Departments (A&E) was developed by key stakeholders in nurse education and suicide prevention in the South East and submitted to the National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery in April 2002.The proposal included the introduction of a suicide intent scale. Following an initial training programme, a suicide intent scale was utilised by nursing staff in A&E and the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU),Wexford General Hospital and evaluated over a period of nine months. Four months into the study the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) was invited to collaboratively prepare a successful submission to the Health Research Board (HRB) as part of ‘Building Partnerships for a Healthier Future Research Awards 2004’. The NSRF undertook independent scientific evaluation of the outcomes of the suicide awareness programme. The study is in line with priorities determined by Reach Out, the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention 2005-2014 (HSE, 2005) and the HSE-South East Suicide Prevention Programme through raising nursing staff awareness of the public health issue of suicide/deliberate self harm and by improving the efficiency and quality of nursing services offered to persons who present to acute hospitals with deliberate self harm. The study findings indicate evidence to positively support nursing assessment of DSH using a suicide intent scale in terms of assessing behavioural characteristics of individual clients and their suicide risk. Enhanced confidence levels of nursing personnel in caring for suicidal clients was demonstrated by staff who participated in an education programme related to risk assessment and specifically the use of a suicide intent scale.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Why children die: A pilot study 2006

This is thenfirst report of a national confi dential enquiry specifi cally focussed on child deaths. Confidential enquiries have already contributed to major improvements in obstetrics, neonatal, and perioperative care in the United Kingdom (UK). However they are time consuming and require extensive collaboration between various professional groups as well as the attention of a dedicated full-time research team. Hence, when planning a confidential enquiry in a new patient group, it is pertinent to investigate both feasibility and utility at its outset.ficant contribution to child health in the UK.

Seminar Report: Translating Research into Better Public Health: What Does it Mean for the CoE(NI)?

The workshop was attended by 13 people excluding facilitators. Most were from outside QUB (including Belfast City Council, NHSSB, BHSCT, Centre for Public Health, NICR, Institute of Agri-food and Land Use (QUB), etc).Programme was:Introductions Part 1: What’s “knowledge brokerage” all about?Presentation and Q&A (Kevin Balanda)Small group discussions Part 2: What the Centre of Excellence is doingPresentation and Q&A (Kevin Balanda)Small group discussions

IPH response to RICHE questionnaire on child health research in Europe

Request to participate in an expert group review of child health research gaps and priorities in Ireland and Northern Ireland IPH responded to a questionnaire from the FP7 funded project - RICHE ( www.childhealthresearch.eu). The project goal is to produce an inventory of child health research in Europe, identify gaps in existing and on-going research, and devise a series of roadmaps for the future of child health research. This is co-ordinated by Anthony Staines from DCU, and Michael Rigby, from the Nordic School. This specific phase of the project is being co-ordinated by Matilde Leonardi and Giorgio Tamburlini in Italy.