The Blood Borne Virus/STI team
The blood-borne viruses and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) team is responsible for surveillance and control activities for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and other sexually transmitted infections. As these are all largely preventable by avoiding risks, and in the case of hepatitis B, by vaccination, we work with a wide range of partners to reduce the numbers of people infected and ensure good treatment.
Public health surveillance is the continuous process of collection, analysis and interpretation of data, and the subsequent dissemination of this information to policy makers, healthcare and other professionals.
The remit of the gastroenteritis and port health team extends to the following areas:
The use of antibiotics (and other antimicrobial agents) can lead to disease-causing bacteria developing resistance, making it more difficult to treat patients’ infections. These resistant organisms can spread from person to person, with the potential to cause serious and difficult-to-treat infections.
The PHA's Business Plan sets out the key priorities and actions that will be progressed by the Public Health Agency (PHA) in each given financial year. The PHA believes that these actions will have the biggest impact on improving levels of health and social wellbeing, protecting the health of the community, and ensuring patients continue to receive high quality and safe treatment and care services. The last four business plans are available via the links below.