#jointeamPHA and make a difference in public health!
The Public Health Agency (PHA) is a dynamic, multi-disciplinary organisation whose function is to improve and protect the health of the population. As a key part of the Health and Social Care (HSC) system, we work closely with the Department of Health (DoH), local Health Trusts (HSC Trusts), and other partners to drive meaningful change across Northern Ireland.
Why join us?
Purpose-driven work - be part of our organisation that is committed to improving the lives and creating positive health outcomes;
Collaborative culture - work alongside a talented and diverse team of people from a variety of disciplines, all focused on making an impact;
Meaningful impact - contribute to initiatives that reduce health inequalities and improve the wellbeing of people in Northern Ireland.
At PHA, our mission is clear: to protect public health, improve health and social wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities across our communities. We take pride in our strong regional and local presence, actively shaping health service planning and delivery to create healthier future for everyone.
Explore the roles available at the PHA on HSC jobs site and discover how you can contribute to our mission.
Health and Social Care values provide clarity for all HSC staff, including prospective staff, on the values you should live every day, and the behaviours expected of you, regardless of the HSC organisation you work for.
These values and behaviours will send a clear message to patients, service users, families, and carers about the care and support they should expect, and how this should be delivered.
Values shape everything we do every single day. They are visible in every interaction we have with each other, our patients, their families and partners. Behaviours provide a guide for how we can bring our values to life. Behaviours define ‘how’ we are expected to approach our work and sit alongside ‘what ‘ we do and our attitudes to work.
Working Together
We work together for the best outcome for the people we care for and support. We work across Health and Social Care and with other external organisations and agencies, recognising that leadership is the responsibility of all.
What does this look like in practice?
I work with others and value everyone’s contribution
I treat people with respect and dignity
I work as part of a team looking for opportunities to support and help people in both my own and other teams
I actively engage people on issues that affect them
I look for feedback and examples of good practice, aiming to improve where possible.
Excellence
We commit to being the best we can be in our work, aiming to improve and develop services to achieve positive changes. We deliver safe, high quality, compassionate care and support.
What does this look like in practice?
I put the people I care for and support at the centre of all I do to make a difference
I take responsibility for my decisions and actions
I commit to best practice and sharing learning, while continually learning and developing
I try to improve by asking ‘could we do this better?’
Openness and Honesty
We are open and honest with each other and act with integrity and candour.
What does this look like in practice?
I am open and honest in order to develop trusting relationships
I ask someone for help when needed
I speak up if I have concerns
I challenge inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour and practice.
Compassion
We are sensitive, caring, respectful and understanding towards those we care for and support and our colleagues. We listen carefully to others to better understand and take action to help them and ourselves.
What does this look like in practice?
I am sensitive to the different needs and feelings of others and treat people with kindness
I learn from others by listening carefully to them
I look after my own health and well being so that I can care for and support others.
Staff are able to take advantage of several benefits. These include:
PHA terms and conditions
Terms and conditions are in line with Agenda for Change. This allows the PHA to offer a comprehensive remuneration package and terms and conditions of employment. Our employment practices and policies adhere to all relevant employment legislation and we are committed to promoting diversity and equality of opportunity in employment for our staff.
Annual leave and general public holidays (separate entitlements apply to Medical and Dental and Senior Executive Staff)
On appointment 27 days plus 10 public holidays
After 5 years’ service 29 days plus 10 public holidays
After 10 years’ service 33 days plus 10 public holidays
The PHA offers a wide range of Human Resource Policies and schemes to underpin the value it places on its staff.
HSC pension scheme
The HSC pension scheme is an important benefit and membership is voluntary. As a member of the scheme you get a package of benefits including an employer contribution rate equal to 22.5% of your salary towards the cost of your pension. Further information may be obtained from the HSC Pension Service Website.
Health and wellbeing initiatives
Wellbeing webinars and exercise classes to support staff, which include themes of healthy mind, healthy body, healthy lifestyle and health culture.
Health and wellbeing champions in each of our local offices promote the wide range of activities and initiatives to support health and wellbeing of all staff.
Lena by Inspire Services offers free 24 hours support including counselling, specialist wellbeing information and access to the Lena Support Hub.
Mental health advocates offer mental health first aid support and provide referral to other intervention services.
Corporate gym memberships with both community and private facilities available at a reduced rate (prices may vary).
Access to health and wellbeing resources and support networks, support packs and much more.
Family friendly policies
The PHA offers a wide variety of options for family leave to our staff should they need to avail of it. These include maternity leave, adoption leave, shared parental leave, (up to 9 months paid leave depending on continuous service), as well as paternity leave and much more with many of the provisions going further than the statutory minimum being driven through enhanced Terms & Conditions of service.
Flexible working arrangements
All our People have the right to request flexible working in their jobs from their first day of employment. We offer a range of flexible working arrangements to enable everyone to balance home and work commitments and improve their working lives including hybrid working, compressed hours, term-time working and flexi-time working.
Travel schemes
The Cycle to Work Scheme allows staff to loan cycle and safety equipment from a wide range of suppliers across NI.
The Translink Scheme enables our staff to avail of an A-Link Card which offers up to 20% discount compared to the purchase of monthly tickets.
The NHS Car Lease Scheme allows our staff to access a new car, with no deposit required and fixed costs.
Voucher schemes
The PHA offers comprehensive voucher schemes for mobile phone contracts, Blue Light discount, Staff Services discount, eye care discounts, and more.
*Terms and conditions apply to accessing all of these travel options.
At PHA we aim to create the best possible experience for our people. We do this by supporting and developing our people and the PHA now, and, for the future, to deliver high quality services. To this end the PHA has developed a bespoke Skills and Development Framework which aims to provide a practical framework and reference point to empower PHA staff in their continuous professional development.
Within PHA we want to promote an ethos of lifelong learning. We want our staff to have ambition and enthusiasm about where their career can take them and the impact it can deliver for the wider population. There are a huge range of learning and development opportunities available to PHA staff at different stages of their career.
This portfolio of organic development focuses on the following:
Workforce Development - growing and developing our people;
Staff - care and compassion for our people;
Culture - fostering leadership at all levels.
The PHA work towards through this by engaging in a range of People and Organisation Development approaches which includes:
High-quality People and Organisation Development advice and guidance;
A wide range of opportunities to develop individual and collective skills;
A variety of offers that support the wellbeing of our People;
Opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of Teams;
A collection of Leadership, Management, Coaching and Mentoring development opportunities;
Advice, guidance and facilitation on how we can make the PHA a great place to work for all our people regardless of their background;
Facilitation of staff forums;
Innovative approaches and interventions that enhance our People’s collective capability to achieve shared goals and high performance;
A systems approach to our work where alignment, connection, co-production and inclusion with our People and Services are at the heart of what we do.
Assistance to study
The Assistance to Study Policy sets out how we support staff development by providing study time and a financial contribution. The specialised training and support are available as need.
Professional development
When you join the PHA, you can expect development opportunities. Professional development is offered in line with patient and service needs, and also the requirements of The CPD Certification Service and your registering body.
Workforce education
We aim to deliver the highest standards of service through ongoing training and support the PHA staff need.
PHA Skills Development Framework focuses on annual appraisal and Personal Development Plans – promoting the ethos of life long learning.
Our People Plan is a plan for everyone who works at the Public Health Agency. It sets out our commitment to each other and how we can work together to continue to deliver the best possible experience and outcomes for our Patients, Clients and Carers. Our 3 People Priorities of:
Staff experience
Culture
Workforce development
are at the core of Our People Plan. By concentrating on our 3 People Priorities we will be best placed to create and sustain a culture where our People join us, stay with us, are proud to work here, and continually give their best.
The PHA is currently offering unpaid placement opportunities for:
Students in school or Further Education/Training working towards a Level 2/3 qualification
Students studying a Level 4 or above course with a requirement for a work experience placement as part of that course.
If you wish to apply for a work placement, please contact the relevant department to discuss your request.
If the placement can be arranged, you will be asked to complete a placement agreement and submit this back to the relevant coordinator. The PHA agree to as many placement requests as possible, where an area is in high demand you may get a message on the form asking you to check back soon for availability.
Paid undergraduate placements and Internships are currently unavailable.
Graduate training schemes
The HSC offer a variety of Graduate Training Schemes that are designed to provide a fast-track to a career in Health and Social Care. If you’re looking to start or change career in a rewarding and supportive environment, with the opportunity to make a difference and have an impact.
The Public Health Agency is engaged in two different graduate pathways including:
I am the Regional Lead for the Needle and Syringe Exchange Service working within the Substance use team in Health improvement. My work focuses on harm reduction services for people who inject drugs, ensuring they have access to sterile injecting equipment and support services.
Adele Dunn, Regional Lead for the Needle and Syringe Exchange Service
Daily responsibilities:
Collaborating with key partners - I work with with community pharmacy, drug treatment services, community addiction teams, community and voluntary sector agencies and hostels to deliver harm reduction services to people who inject drugs.
Improving needle and syringe exchange services - The needle and syringe exchange service offers free, sterile injecting equipment to reduce reusing and sharing of injecting equipment and therefore reduce transmission of HIV, Hep B and C. Each week I would be completing on site visits and also spending time within exchanges so I can meet the people who are using the service to hear first-hand their opinions and ideas for the service.
Enhancing harm reduction approaches - Design and develop services, alongside those with lived experience, to ensure we are meeting the needs of people who inject drugs. Needle Exchanges are moving towards offering a more holistic approach to harm reduction and expanding from simply offering free injecting equipment to also including wound care treatments and blood-borne virus screening for example. Exchanges also take place in person, via a postal service or utilising a vending machine to try to increase coverage of the service.
Training and knowledge sharing - I collaborate with local community and voluntary training providers, national and international leaders in the harm reduction field to ensure our harm reduction practitioners within exchanges are trained to a high level based on current drug use trends. In October 2024 the PHA’s first Needle and Syringe Exchange Service Conference was held in Belfast and attended by over 120 people.
Networking and learning - I meet with colleagues across UK and Ireland to network, share learning and compare emerging drug trends and appropriate harm reduction responses.
Delivering the Take Home Naloxone Programme - Naloxone is a lifesaving drug which reverses the effects of opioid overdose and is available at needle exchanges. I am currently working across the four nations to devise a national way forward in the widening of this programme.
Beyond work: my pastimes
As a busy mum of four, I cherish any personal time I get. When I do, you'll find me:
hill walking,
practicing yoga,
watching musical theatre.
More about my team: role of Health improvement team (HIT)
The HIT works to address the causes of health inequalities across Northern Ireland by commissioning health and social well-being interventions, programmes and community-based initiatives. These initiatives focus on:
mental health,
substance use,
sexual health,
smoking cessation,
physical activity,
nutrition.
Our goal is to empower communities, prevent health inequalities, and promote.
