A leading Irish health promotion expert has called for a significant investment in the training and education of health promotion practitioners and other health workers.

Pictured at NUIG ahead of the 12th annual Health Promotion Conference, which takes place in the college this week, is Professor Margaret Barry, Director of the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUIG.

Professor Margaret Barry, Director of the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI, Galway, was speaking at the opening of the first Consensus Meeting of international leaders from health promotion and population health, which finishes at NUI, Galway today, Wednesday 18 June.

"Health promotion is a complex and challenging field. We need to make sure our professionals have the required competencies and skills to address complex health issues within rapidly changing social and political contexts. Government investment, international co-operation and consensus will be required to improve population health worldwide," Professor Barry said.

The meeting's focus is the development of professional standards and accreditation for health promotion professionals globally. Participants include representatives from the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE); the Society for Public Health Education, (SOPHE), USA; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA; American Association for Health Education; Council on Education for Public Health, USA; National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, USA; and the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, UK.

The outcomes of the Consensus Meeting will be discussed at the 12th annual Health Promotion Conference, which takes place at NUI, Galway tomorrow and Friday, 19 and 20 June. The event, entitled 'Capacity Building for the Future: Health Promotion Competencies and Professional Standards', will be opened by Minister for Health Promotion and Food Safety, Mary Wallace TD.

"Capacity building to support the development and implementation of policy and best practice is key to the future growth and development of health promotion globally and nationally. Workforce development is critical to building capacity for the effective improvement of population health," Prof Barry added.

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