The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) was set up in 1990 as a special agency of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS). It was accountable to the Minister responsible for Health.

Its aim was to provide leadership, strategic direction and support, where possible, to all those involved in promoting health in Northern Ireland.
Its mission was:

"To make health a top priority for everyone in Northern Ireland"

This involved working with policy makers at government level, those in statutory, voluntary, commercial and community sectors and individuals themselves. By working with others it aimed to shift the emphasis of modern health services towards prevention, protection and education, to reduce the need for treatment or rehabilitation and improve overall quality of life.

Priority areas
Priority areas of work included nutrition, physical activity, drug and alcohol misuse, smoking, mental health and sexual health. It was committed to reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease and cancers, Northern Ireland's biggest killers.

How our work is structured
The work of the HPA was carried out through five core business areas:

Policy development and advice
The HPA played an important role in providing policy advice on issues related to health promotion to the Minister for Health via the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and to other Government departments. The HPA was also asked for policy advice from a regional perspective, by many other organisations and individuals.

Research, information and analysis
The HPA was involved in a wide range of primary and secondary research to inform, test and evaluate health promotion policy development and practical interventions. Research findings were shared to promote learning, influence decision makers and stimulate action and interest.

Public and professional information (campaigns and publications)
An important aspect of its work involved the design and implementation of integrated information campaigns, targeted at professionals or members of the general public. It used a wide variety of media to deliver information, from television advertising, leaflets and teaching materials, to use of the internet.

For information on its public information campaigns, click here.

It also produced regular publications for professionals. Its quarterly journal Promoting Health presented a forum for presentation of best practice and sharing of experience about approaches to health promotion. Its bimonthly newsletter, Inform, kept colleagues informed about regional health promotion projects and initiatives with which the HPA was involved.

Training and professional development
A planned, strategic approach to training and professional development in health promotion is crucial. The HPA provided an extensive range of training events throughout the year. This training was vital in ensuring the continued quality and effectiveness of health promotion work.

Corporate Agency business
Corporate business represented the HPA's core activity, including financial management and human resource management, which enabled the HPA to function smoothly and effectively.

The wider context
The strategic aims and objectives of the HPA were set within the context of Investing for Health.

The strategy represents a shift in health policy, which in the past tended to concentrate on the treatment of ill health rather than on its prevention. Its overall aim is to address the wider determinants of health, particularly the social and economic inequalities that exist among people. Within the strategy, homes, communities, schools, colleges and the workplace are identified as the main focal points for programmes of activity to improve health.

It also recognises the importance of partnership working and collaboration between members of statutory and non-statutory groups, community and voluntary groups as well as all Departments, who through their involvement in the Ministerial Group on Public Health (MGPH), were responsible for its development.