During Alcohol Awareness Week (18-24 June) the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Northern Ireland’s Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (NIDACTs) are highlighting the impact alcohol can have on people who drink too much and those around them.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) have been made aware of possible shortcomings in the technique used to take cervical screening tests (commonly referred to as cervical smears) at two GP practices. This issue affects a small number of women whose tests were taken by one particular healthcare worker.

A review team was established by the HSCB and PHA to examine this issue, and as a result a total of 150 women at Abbott’s Cross Practice in Newtownabbey and Dr McKenna’s Practice, Thames Street, Belfast have been sent invitations by their GP for a repeat cervical screening test.

Patients affected have been asked to contact their GP to arrange a repeat test. They have also been asked to seek further information if they have any concerns. This does not necessarily mean that their initial results were wrong; the repeat test is a precautionary measure to provide reassurance about their previous screening result. Each of the patients who are being contacted by the two surgeries had their cervical screening tests taken by one particular healthcare worker, who has ceased taking these tests since this issue emerged.

With less than a week to go to the start of the World Cup in Russia, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging people to use the competition as inspiration to kick off some healthy habits.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging smokers to think about making use of the tailored, free, one-to-one support that community pharmacies can offer to help them stop smoking. The call comes on World No Tobacco Day as the agency highlights over 600 PHA-funded stop smoking services that are available free to current smokers across Northern Ireland.

Each year the HSC R&D Division of the Public Health Agency, along with Health and Social Care (HSC) partners, celebrates the ‘I Am Research’ campaign to mark International Clinical Trials Day. This year the national campaign on 25 May is running in collaboration with additional celebrations around the NHS’s 70th birthday.

‘I Am Research’ aims to build awareness of health and care research and its benefits and celebrate how it has shaped, and is continuing to shape, the NHS/HSC and outcomes for patients. Patients, the public and health and social care research professionals will have a chance to shout about how fantastic research is and the positive impact it has on people’s lives.