The body will be based at Queen’s University, Belfast and is one of five such centres established across the UK.
The Minister said: “I see this Centre of Excellence as an important landmark for public health in Northern Ireland which will play a key role in helping to inform and shape our collective policies and practices in improving health and reducing health inequalities.
“It will be vital for bringing together world class experts from a diverse range of backgrounds to ensure that essential research is carried out to make a significant impact on the health of people in Northern Ireland.
“Public health will be at the heart of the Health and Social Care system, and this centre has the potential to make a major contribution to our drive towards a healthier, more productive, more confident Northern Ireland.
“There have been big improvements in health and life expectancy over the last decades. However Northern Ireland still faces challenges to improve public health and ensure that, as a society, we benefit from longer and healthier lives.”
The Minister has invited the Director of the Centre of Excellence, Dr Frank Kee, to join the Ministerial Group on Public Health as its academic adviser.
The Minister added: “The Group will look to the Centre of Excellence to help integrate research knowledge into policy and practice. Having Professor Kee on board will add academic rigour to its decision-making.”
The Centre will receive up to £5million over five years to support high quality research by experts working in partnership with practitioners, policy makers and wider stakeholders to tackle public health issues.
Notes to Editors:
- The Centre of Excellence will research complex public health issues such as obesity, smoking and health inequalities.
- The other four successful Centres are based in Newcastle, Cardiff, Cambridge and Nottingham.
- Each Centre will receive up to £5million over five years to create new academic posts and develop strong training and career development programmes. The funding will also provide the technical staff, IT systems, equipment, administrative support, research facilities and other infrastructure needed to support high quality research.
- The group of funders who supported the initiative came together under the umbrella of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC), and included the Research & Development Office for Northern Ireland to develop this coordinated approach to strengthen public health research in the UK. The funders have provided the £20million investment to establish the Centres of Excellence.
- The partnership of funders was led by the Economic and Social Research Council and includes the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Wales Office of Research and Development - Welsh Assembly Government, and the Wellcome Trust.
- The Ministerial Group on Public Health is chaired by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. It is a cross-departmental group responsible for managing co-operation across government and for monitoring and reviewing public health strategy.
- Media enquiries to DHSSPS Press Office on 02890 520074, or out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
