Welcome to the Public Health Agency
About the Public Health Agency
The Public Health Agency (PHA) is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary organisation dedicated to improving and protecting the health of the population. As part of the health and social care family, we work closely with the Strategic Planning and Performance Group (SPPG) of the Department of Health (DoH), local Health Trusts (HSC Trusts), the Business Services Organisation (BSO) and the Patient Client Council (PCC), and other partners to drive meaningful change across Northern Ireland.
Guided by our vision of a healthier Northern Ireland, our purpose is to protect and improve the health and social wellbeing of our population. We are committed to reducing health inequalities through leadership, partnership, and evidence-based practice.
Latest news
16 December 2025
Rosetta Primary School in Belfast brought festive cheer to the playground as pupils took part in The Daily Mile Santa Run, joining thousands of children across Northern Ireland and beyond for fun...
11 December 2025
The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who is eligible for flu vaccination to take up the offer without delay as it remains the best defence against seasonal flu.
10 December 2025
Thursday 11 December is Organ Donation Discussion Day, when the Public Health Agency is encouraging everyone to consider their decision around organ and tissue donation, and to share this decision...
Latest publications
17 December 2025
The Northern Ireland Bowel Cancer Screening Programme is introducing quantitative faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) as the primary bowel cancer screening test in January 2021. Quantitative FIT is...
17 December 2025
The Northern Ireland Bowel Cancer Screening Programme introduced quantitative faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) as the primary bowel cancer screening test in January 2021. Quantitative FIT is more...
17 December 2025
This leaflet provides information on further investigations participants may require, including colonoscopy.
Featured content
The HPSA report provides an overview of selected surveillance metrics in the form of a situational awareness summary. Horizon scanning provides information on emerging situations that can impact public health including local, national and global events.
COVID-19 genomics weekly report. This report describes and monitors the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) variants in Northern Ireland.
The PHA has integrated influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 reporting into a weekly report to provide a single overview of the epidemiology of these infections in Northern Ireland, along with the number of respiratory care home outbreaks, hospital admissions and occupancy, and deaths.