Roots of Empathy

  • 26% of Year 6 pupils said they had been bullied once or twice in the “past couple of months” and 17.1% said they had been bullied “two or three times a month” or more often during the past couple of months.
  • 37% of all respondents to the Young Life and Times Survey in Northern Ireland (16 year olds) said they had been bullied in school.
  • Children’s sense of wellbeing and life satisfaction in the United Kingdom (UK) falls well below other European countries.

Publications and design

The PHA’s publications team oversees the development and production of a wide range of high quality electronic and printed support materials for both health professionals and members of the public. The materials – ranging from training materials, campaign materials and scientific research reports, to booklets, information leaflets and posters – are produced to support and promote the various work areas within the PHA.

The publications team works closely with the relevant subject lead and ensures that:

Public information campaigns

The public information campaigns function within the PHA is responsible for the overall development, management, implementation and monitoring of multi-media campaigns, which cover a wide range of health issues and programmes.

The campaigns are used to raise awareness of important health issues and stimulate groups or individuals to seek information and services.

Through any increase in knowledge, people can over time change attitudes and longer term, particularly when other intervention programmes are used, change their behaviour. 

Communications

Effective communication

Good communication is an essential ingredient to the smooth running and performance of any organisation – whether in the public, private, community or voluntary sector. Without it, an organisation cannot be effective in its work and will ultimately underachieve and fall short of its key aims and objectives.

From sunrise, be sunwise

With holiday time approaching and the hope of better weather to come, the Public Health Agency (PHA) continues to encourage everyone to be aware of the dangers of the sun. Skin cancer is the number one cancer in Northern Ireland and accounts for more than a quarter of all individuals diagnosed with cancer. Research shows there has been an increase in cases over the years of malignant melanoma, the least common but most serious form of skin cancer, with cases nearly trebling in 25 years.¹

Service development

PHA staff provide particular expertise on service evaluation and review, assessment of the health and wellbeing needs of the population, and evidence-based practice. They also have a key role in supporting the development, implementation and evaluation of regional service frameworks.