Health Impact Assessment Guidance: The Case for HIA. Standalone Health Impact Assessment and health in environmental assessment

Abstract

The Institute of Public Health has launched a suite of new guidance documents that can help community organisations, local authorities, and other policy- and decision-makers to build healthier communities and reduce health inequalities.

The fourth edition of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Guidance for Ireland and Northern Ireland represents the first major update of this all-island guidance since 2009 and has been welcomed in both jurisdictions by Minister for Health in Northern Ireland Robin Swann, MLA, and Minister of State for Public Health, Well Being, and National Drugs Strategy in Ireland, Frank Feighan, TD.

The new HIA Guidance can assist policy- and decision-makers at national, regional or local level, including community organisations and local authorities among others, to assess the potential impact of a proposed new law, policy, programme or project and how it might affect the health of the community before it is implemented.