Public Health Agency

The PHA was established in 2009 under a major reform of health structures in Northern Ireland.

We are a multi-disciplinary, multi-professional body with a strong regional and local presence. We have four key functions:

health and social wellbeing improvement;
health protection;
public health support to commissioning and policy development;
HSC research and development.

We were set up to provide a renewed and enhanced focus on public health and wellbeing by bringing together a wide range of public health functions under one organisation.

We are also required to create better inter-sectoral working, including enhanced partnership arrangements with local government, to tackle the underlying causes of poor health and reduce health inequalities.