The Framework of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s Population Health Observatory states the agreed values and principles that guide the development and operation of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s Population Health Observatory (INIsPHO). These values and principles reflect:

• a commitment to support key public health-related policies, strategies and programmes;
• the primacy of evidence-based policy and practice;
• a commitment to improve health and reduce health inequalities;
• the importance of coordinated development of health research and information infrastructure;
• the value of existing health research and information;
• the need for efficiency by filling gaps without duplicating effort;
• a broad view of health and the factors that affect it (including the social determinants of health, lifestyle behaviours, the health and social services, the non-health sector, and the community and voluntary sector);
• a comprehensive definition of ‘knowledge’ that recognises the complementary role of quantitative and qualitative data, and the value of the experiences of people and organisations;
• a strong link to other work of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH). 

The values and principles also reflect commitments to work in a way that is:

• collaborative and supportive of its partners and all those who use health intelligence;
• appropriately inclusive and participatory.