In the autumn of 2001, the director of environmental services from one of the local councils in the Southern Group Environmental Health Committee asked about the current state of environmental health planning in Northern Ireland. Plans had historically been more operational than strategic and evoked little or no response from the five local councils' elected members when tabled for discussion.

As group chief environmental health officer, I was concerned about the lack of strategic planning to improve health and wellbeing within environmental health departments and the lack of ownership and interest among EHPs at grass roots level. One question specifically came to mind: "Whatever happened to Agendas for change and its aspirations and guiding principles?"

Determined to introduce change to the whole planning process and having established that staff wanted to embrace partnership working to improve public health, a meeting was arranged in London in November 2001 with Ian MacArthur, who was then co-ordinating the Commission on Environmental Health, to ask why limited progress had been made since 1997 in achieving the principles of Agendas for change.

Following lengthy discussion, Mr MacArthur agreed to come to Northern Ireland and assist in the challenge to change hearts and minds towards a more strategic-based planning process, embracing public health and securing ownership at all levels within the profession in the southern group.

The process began in February 2002, in a seminar comprising elected members representing the five councils, the directors of environmental services and senior officers from the Southern Health and Social Services Board (SHSSB), with presentations on health and wellbeing issues. Part of the presentation included a sketch on the EHO's work, which concentrated initially on the traditional approach to investigating a complaint about severe mould growth in a high-rise block of flats.

The sketch entitled "The mould of the new EHO" featured high on comedy but, nevertheless, had a serious message underpinning the performance. It considered the traditional advice of "turn up the heat and open the windows" and then in contrast demonstrated the investigating officer enquiring about health problems, which could be attributed to the housing conditions. A commitment was given to seeking help and assistance from other health colleagues including the director of public health and the local health action zone manager.

The following day, a workshop on the EHO's role in public health was held as a precursor to a series of planning workshops for all staff. There was a strong commitment from members to engage in public health improvements but also a stark realisation that dedicated workers were required and plans needed to embrace the new agenda. A planning template was produced and presented to all staff across the five councils. At that stage, each department developed their own vision, mission and key objectives, linked to their corporate plans.

The final plans were presented to the five councils and were received favourably by elected members. Councillors recognised that environmental health practitioners have a unique contribution to make through their primary focus of maintaining health as well as pursuing their predominantly technical and enforcement roles. Many welcomed the shift in policy in the new plan towards local action aimed at reducing health inequalities and improving future health and wellbeing of local communities.

Simultaneously, the new Investing for health strategy was launched in March 2002. Analysis of the determinants of ill health, as laid down in the strategy, illustrated that EHPs clearly had a major contribution to make in reducing health inequalities. Although the revised plans identified objectives, which would assist in the reduction of health inequalities using existing resources, it was clear that a dedicated resource would be necessary to make significant impact across the services of the five councils.

Working in partnership with the councils' chief executives, the directors of environmental services and the SHSSB's chief officers, a proposal has emerged for the joint appointments of three Investing for health officers. These capacity building posts, which will be jointly funded by the councils, the SHSSB and the Southern Group Environmental Health Committee, will switch the councils' service delivery towards the objectives of the new regional Investing for health plan.

This approach has been adopted despite the absence of wellbeing and community planning powers in Northern Ireland. It has only been achieved through the visionary approach and co-operation of the councils and the SHSSB's senior management and is currently attracting interest and debate within other health board regions in Northern Ireland.

Sam Knox is group chief environmental health officer at the Southern Group Environmental Health Committee and chair of the Northern Ireland Centre.