Department of Health and Children Annual Output Statement 2008

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 everyone, 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 (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 (OMC) brings together functions relating to children and their well being, along with policy functions on Youth Justice and Early Years Education. Download document here

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

A Report on Probity Assurance within the Dental Care Sector

A Report on Probity Assurance within the Dental Care Sector Click here to download PDF 294kb

Annual Output Statement For Health Group of Votes 2010

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 everyone, 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. Click here to download Annual Output Statement For Health Group of Votes 2010 PDF 187KB Click here to download Additional notes for readers PDF 17KB

Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 - Health Sector Action Plan 2012

This revised Action Plan is designed to support the delivery of the HSEâ?Ts 2012 National Service Plan by facilitating the fast-tracking of measures required to deliver essential health and personal social services across the country within the context of further reductions in funding and staff numbers. The implementation of the National Service Plan, approved by the Minister for Health on 13 January 2012, represents a major challenge to the health services and comes at a time of major reform of the public health system.   Click here to download PDF 161kb

Public Service Agreement - Revised Health Sector Action Plan - December 2012

The health service has been at the forefront in delivering significant change under the PSA. The substantial contribution already made by health service staff, especially during the period of concentrated retirements up to February 2012, is acknowledged and much appreciated by management. These changes are being achieved in what is a complex working environment with increasing demands, (500,000 increase in medical card holders between 2007 and 2012) and a growing and ageing population, within a public health service which is undergoing unprecedented organisational change and reform, accompanied by a reducing workforce. Public Service Agreement – Revised Health Sector Action Plan- December 2012 savings report Click here to download PDF 51kb

Annual Output Statement 2012 For Health Group of Votes - 38 and 39

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 everyone, fair access, responsive and appropriate care delivery and high performance. The money voted goes to the Department of Health (Vote 38), and the Health Service Executive (Vote 39). The Department of Health 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. Click here to download

Call for Submissions: White Paper on Universal Health Insurance - Supporting Documents

  The Department of Health has published a White Paper on Universal Health Insurance. The White Paper sets out in detail the elements of the proposed Universal Health Insurance model for Ireland. As such, it provides detail on the overall design of the model, the proposed system for deciding on the standard package of services and the financing mechanisms for the system. This is a most fundamental reform of the health system and we recognise the importance of consulting extensively and inclusively with all interested parties.  It is important to seek your views on the policy as it is set out in the White Paper, and we view this as a valuable opportunity for citizens to contribute to the development of policy on the future of their health system.  Therefore, we would like to hear from any individual, group, organisation or other body that wishes to contribute to the consultation on the White Paper. In particular, but not limited to, we would welcome your views on the following issues: A consultation document setting out a number of key questions under each of the above headings has been developed and can be downloaded here. There is an opportunity at the end of the document for views or comments on other aspects of the White Paper to be provided. Alternatively, additional views or comments can be sent as an email or hard copy to the addresses below. It is intended to establish a separate independent Expert Commission to examine the issues around the basket of services to be provided under UHI and within the overall health system. The Minister will announce details of the Commission in the near future. Therefore, it would be useful if the submissions on the White Paper refrained from commenting in detail on the services to be provided under UHI. Views on the basket of services will be sought by the Commission when it commences its consultation process. The White Paper can be downloaded here, and two further supporting documents Background Policy Paper on Designing the Future Health Basket and Background Policy Paper on Raising Resources for Universal Health Insurance, which informed the development of the White Paper are also available for download. Links to other supporting documentation that informed the White Paper are also provided below. Submissions can be submitted: By E-mail to: uhiwhitepaper@health.gov.ie By Post to: UHI White Paper UHI UnitDepartment of HealthRoom 7.26Hawkins HouseHawkins StreetDublin 2 The closing date for submissions is close of business 28th May 2014 and will be strictly adhered to. All submissions received will be subject to the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 & 2003 and may be released in response to a Freedom of Information request. Download the consultation document (MS Word) (From the website of the Health Research Board) Integration of health and wellbeing services with general health services The integration of health and social care services

Rural Health Partnership

This is their 3rd BCPP project and this is a Level 3 project. Rural Health Partnership is a community based initiative which assists people to recover from a mental illness. Previous BCPP projects focussed on supporting the needs of women in relation to mental health and more specifically, those experiencing post natal depression through the 2nd BCPP project using a lay health approach. This project seeks to build on this previous work. A very good working relationship has developed between the pharmacist and RHP. A programme of activities that can enhance the skills and knowledge base of the participants will be developed and so will relationships with other services eg GPs, primary care team etc. The project aims to educate the community at large on the issues faced by vulnerable women, with particular emphasis on symptoms of postnatal depression and anxiety.

PHA supports World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

Saturday 8 October 2011 marks World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. The Public Health Agency would like to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world by raising awareness and understanding of the needs - medical, social, practical and spiritual - of people living with a life-limiting illness, and their families.This year's World Hospice and Palliative Care Day theme is 'Many diseases, manylives, many voices - palliative care fornon-communicableconditions'.The theme will focus on how people living with conditions thatare notinfectious can benefit from palliative care.Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory conditions and diabetes, make up60% of deaths worldwide. The majority of thesedeaths occur in low and middle income countries, where palliative care is often not available. To get involved in World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, log on to www.worldday.org/get-involved/ which gives you ideas and suggestions on what you can do on the day to support people living with life-limiting illnesses, and their families.Mary Hinds, Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions, PHA, and Chair of the Implementation Process for End of Life Care in Northern Ireland, said: "Good quality palliative and end of life care will be important for us all. 'Living Matters, Dying Matters' is a five year strategy for palliative and end of life care in Northern Ireland, established to ensure that any person living with a life-threatening illness lives well and dies well, irrespective of their condition or care setting. "It has been encouraging to see the plans being taken forward by the Health and Social Care Trusts in partnership with local hospices and other providers, and involving local people."We aim to ensure that people receiving palliative care, their families and carers, are provided with high quality care across all settings and conditions, and are supported to enjoy a good quality of life, maximising their potential through the course of their illness."There is still some progress to be made within the context of the review of health and social services. We are looking for statutory and voluntary services to work together to make a significant difference in improving access to high quality services for those with life-limiting conditions, and to develop innovative approaches to care."

Obesity - an acknowledged public health challenge

As we face a difficult economic climate, in which inequalities may worsen, the PHA faces many challenges in its efforts to improve the health of the population. One such challenge is the issue of obesity. Recently, in the Draft Programme for Government and, again today, in anticipation of the publication of the Consultation on the Review of Health and Social Care Services in Northern Ireland, the specific issue of obesity has been highlighted in the media.The PHA is committed to playing a lead role in tackling this major health issue and has been systematically examining the evidence of best practice and effectiveness to ensure that investment and working in partnership will bring clear benefits. A welcome consequence of any success would be a reduction in the impact of the physical, and emotional costs of obesity related ill-health to individuals - and the financial costs to an overstretched healthcare system.A multi-facetted approach to tackling obesity is required for Northern Ireland. This will mean working across government departments, looking at relevant legislation, taxation, food standards and labelling, as well as supporting a raft of programmes within education, workplace, and at the local community level."The prevalence of overweight and obesity has risen dramatically in recent years in Northern Ireland and is now the norm to be overweight, rather than the exception. The Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey (2010-11) indicated that 36% of adults are overweight and a further 23% are obese; this means that approximately 3 in 5 adults in Northern Ireland carry excess weight. A similar proportion of males and females were obese (23%) however males were more likely to be overweight (44%) than females (30%).Data from the Northern Ireland Health and Wellbeing Survey (2010-11) reported that 27% of children aged 2-15 years are obese or overweight. The findings presented here are based on the guidelines put forward by the International Obesity Task Force. Using this approach, 8% of children were assessed as obese, with similar results for boys (8%) and girls (9%). Obesity has serious implications for health and wellbeing and is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, respiratory problems and joint pain.Evidence indicates that being obese can reduce life expectancy by up to 9 years; and it can impact on emotional and psychological well-being and self-esteem, especially among young people.Obesity also impacts on wider society through economic costs, loss of productivity and increased demands on our health and social care system. It is estimated that obesity in Northern Ireland is resulting in 260,000 working days lost each year with a cost to the local economy of £500 million.The good news is that the intentional loss of significant weight (approx 10kg) in overweight and obese adults has been shown to confer significant health benefits, decreased morbidity and may also reduce obesity-related mortality.Key programmes and interventions are undertaken by the PHA in order to prevent and reduce overweight and obesity. The programmes/interventions are supported by significant ongoing work at local level. Examples include:the promotion of breastfeeding; local programmes to increase awareness of good nutrition and develop cooking skills, for example 'Cook It!'; promotion of more active lifestyles, for example, Walking for Health' and 'Teenage Kicks'; development of community allotment schemes; programmes for primary school children, for example Skip2bfit and Eat, Taste and Grow; and sports and other recreation, for example 'Active Belfast'. The PHA's multi media campaign 'It all adds up!' to encourage children to become more active and understand the importance of keeping fit, in a fun and exciting way, ran until October 2011. It encouraged parents and carers to go to the website www.getalifegetactive.com and download the PHA logbook It all adds up! to plan activities as a family. The logbook helped children and parents plan and keep track of their participation in physical activity at school, home and in the community. PHA is currently developing a public information campaign and other supportive work to increase public awareness of obesity as well as to provide advice and support for those who want to make real changes. The campaign development is well underway and is anticipated for launch in late Spring 2012. Like many common health problems, people living in disadvantaged circumstances suffer most and the PHA is committed to tackling this aspect of health inequality. The good news is that even a modest weight loss, of 1-1 Â_ stones, can help to reduce the risk of many of the health problems resulting from being overweight or obese. Information on losing weight through healthier eating and being more active can be found on the PHA websites - www.enjoyhealthyeating.info and www.getalifegetactive.com . These websites provide help and advice for anyone who wants to improve their eating habits and fitness levels, by making small, sustainable, healthy changes to their lifestyle. The PHA leaflet, Small changes, big benefits is also available to download from the PHA website, 'Publications' section.

A New Year's Resolution - be smart about your drinking!

Now 2012 has arrived, the Public Health Agency is encouraging people to make a New Year's resolution to know their limits when it comes to alcohol, not to drink excessively and to cut back for a while, especially if the festive period led to a little too much consumption.Owen O'Neill, PHA Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager and drugs and alcohol lead, explained: "The New Year is a great opportunity for us to be positive about our health, making resolutions that make us look and feel better. If people choose to drink, staying within the safe drinking limits is important. Excessive and binge drinking can have lasting effects on health, such as damage to the liver, heart, brain and stomach. Drinking too much can also increase the risk of accidents and antisocial behaviour as well as sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy. And it doesn't have to be drinking to extremes - regularly drinking over the recommended limits can have a damaging effect."Remember that for each unit you drink over the daily limit, the risk to your health increases. It's important to spread the units throughout the week and not 'save' them for the weekend and to drink plenty of water, ideally matching the amount of alcohol you have consumed."For those who have consumed a lot of alcohol over the festive season, cutting back in the New Year and being careful can have immediate, positive effects particularly on helping you to look and feel better, being less tired during the day, feeling fitter and perhaps losing weight. Longer term, the benefits include improved mood, sleep, memory and general health, particularly improving liver function, immunity to illness and preventing any damage caused by any excessive drinking getting any worse."Daily alcohol limits are recommended by the government to avoid the dangers of excessive and binge drinking in any one session. These are:MenNo more than 3 to 4 units of alcohol a day and no more than 21 units over the course of the week.WomenNo more than 2 to 3 units of alcohol a day and no more than 14 units over the course of the week.Examples of units:Can of extra strong lager - 4 unitsBottle of lager - 1.5 unitsSmall pub bottle of wine - 2.25 unitsPub measure of spirits - 1.5 unitsPint of stout - 2.5 unitsPint of cider - 3 unitsFor further information on sensible drinking and alcohol units visit the Public Health Agency's website www.knowyourlimits.info

Headline Annual Report 2007

Headline is Ireland's national media monitoring programme, working to promote responsible and accurate coverage of mental health and suicide related issues within the Irish media. Headline aims to highlight mental health issues and address the stigma attached to emotional distress, suicidal behaviour and mental illness through the promotion of responsible media coverage.

Headline Annual Report 2008

Headline is Ireland's national media monitoring programme, working to promote responsible and accurate coverage of mental health and suicide related issues within the Irish media. Headline aims to highlight mental health issues and address the stigma attached to emotional distress, suicidal behaviour and mental illness through the promotion of responsible media coverage.

Social inequalities in health. New evidence and policy implications

Health inequalities according to people's social standing are persisting, or even growing, in modern societies. Recent decades have revealed evidence of strong variations in life expectancy, both between countries and within them. This widening of social inequalities has developed despite considerable progress in medical science and an increase in health care spending. The reasons behind this are complex, and the implications considerable.   This book provides a summary of the major achievements of a five-year European Science Foundation (ESF) Programme on 'Social Variations in Health Expectancy in Europe'. The contributors are major figures in their subjects, and combine state of the art reviews with the latest results from interdisciplinary research in epidemiology, sociology, psychology and biomedicine.   Three conceptual frameworks of life course influences, health effects of stressful environments, and macro social determinants of health, are unified, while each chapter addresses the policy implications and recommendations derived from currently available evidence. The major topics covered include the role of family in early life, social integration and health, work stress and job security, successful ways of facing adversity, and the impact of the larger environment on health. Epidemiologists, public health research and policy makers, and students of related public health and sociology courses wlll find the results of this research fascinating.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.