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Alcohol advice this festive party season

With the festive party season getting into full flow, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is on hand with some helpful advice and some safer drinking tips, if you choose to drink alcohol.

Many of us over-indulge at Christmas, but overdoing it with alcohol could seriously damage your health.

Michael Owen, the PHA’s lead for Drugs and Alcohol, said: “Many of us like to have a drink at Christmas and we’re not saying people shouldn’t, but it’s important that we enjoy ourselves safely."

Your local pharmacy is helping to keep antibiotics working

Pharmacies here are stepping up their efforts to help keep antibiotics working in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

More than 500 community pharmacies are taking part in the Living Well service, which provides information and advice on key public health issues.

Living Well is a Public Health Agency (PHA), Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI) collaboration, with the current phase of the campaign focussing on getting the best advice on antibiotics.

World AIDS Day: PHA puts focus on safer sex and need for testing

Ahead of World AIDS Day (1 December) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging everyone to practise safer sex and get tested early if they have put themselves at risk.

A new report from the PHA shows that there are 1,130 people in Northern Ireland living with HIV. The ‘HIV surveillance in Northern Ireland 2019’ report also shows that 84 new first-UK cases of HIV were diagnosed here in 2018. The report provides analysis of the HIV data for Northern Ireland in 2018 and trends over the years.

PHA urges vaccine uptake as flu activity increases

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who is eligible to receive the free flu vaccine to make arrangements to get it to maximise their protection against the virus over winter.

The call comes as the agency’s latest flu bulletin, published today, shows that there has been an increase in flu-like illnesses.

Pharmacies in South Eastern Trust area helping you Stay Well this winter!

Community pharmacies across the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust area are offering advice and support on a wide range of winter illnesses to help us stay well during the colder months.

The ‘Living Well’ service provides information and advice on key public health issues and was launched earlier this year by the Public Health Agency (PHA), the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI).‘Stay Well This Winter’ is the theme currently running in all pharmacies, and patients and customers can get help and support from their local pharmacist during the winter period for a range of conditions.

The switchboard number for the PHA’s Headquarters at Linenhall Street, Belfast has changed to 0300 555 0114. Click here for more information.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) was established in April 2009 as part of the reforms to Health and Social Care (HSC) in Northern Ireland. We are the major regional organisation for health protection and health and social wellbeing improvement. Our role also commits us to addressing the causes and associated inequalities of preventable ill-health and lack of wellbeing. We are a multi-disciplinary, multi-professional body with a strong regional and local presence.

Directorates

In fulfilling our mandate to protect public health, improve public health and social wellbeing, and reduce inequalities in health and social wellbeing, the PHA works within an operational framework of three areas: Public Health, Nursing and Allied Health Professionals, and Operations. Our corporate and business plans reflect these arrangements and our purpose as an organisation.

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