Overview

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 in 10 hospital inpatients are the victims of unintentional medical error. They calculate that 50% of these errors could be avoided if lessons from previous incidents were learned. Of course, errors and system failures also result in adverse incidents in social care settings, which is important given the integrated nature of our services in Health and Social Care. 

An adverse incident has been defined as: “any event or circumstance that could have or did lead to harm, loss or damage to people, property, environment or reputation”.

Previously called Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions, this directorate is responsible for:

• nursing, midwives, allied health professionals, service and public health issues;
• the Health and Social Care Safety Forum;
• Local Supervising Midwifery Authority.

Through the directorate the PHA provides:

• regional leadership for Personal and Public Involvement and for Patient Client Experience;
• regional leadership for quality and safety.

Nursing incorporates health visiting, health care assistants and other support staff, while midwifery includes midwives and maternity support workers.

Allied health

Each year, about 6,500 people die prematurely in Northern Ireland due to preventable ill-health. Alongside the cost in human lives and suffering is the drain of preventable illness on our economy.

Moreover, the gap in health and wellbeing between the better-off and those experiencing social disadvantage still persists.

Tackling health and wellbeing inequalities and promoting a shift across the health service to the prevention of disease lay at the heart of Northern Ireland’s HSC reforms.

The PHA was set up with the explicit agenda to protect public health, and to improve health and social