We are deeply concerned and appalled at the violence which we are witnessing in our communities. It is completely unacceptable that our international staff, who provide an invaluable service, should be intimidated or feel too frightened to come to work. The current unrest is having a profound impact on all of our services, which are already under enormous strain. All the Trusts are trying to operate as normally as possible but the disruption is making this increasingly difficult. As Chief Executives, we value every single member of our staff, who are trying to care for vulnerable people, both

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is highlighting the importance early relationships play in shaping babies’ mental health, development and future wellbeing this Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs until 14 June. One initiative which has been developed to support families across Northern Ireland in this is, the Connect with Me programme, which is helping parents build strong, nurturing relationships with their babies during the critical first 1,001 days of life. Developed through a unique collaboration between parents from East Belfast Sure Start, Speech and Language Therapists from

When Cáoileánn Conway picked up her phone and called Lifeline in the early hours of the morning, she didn’t know what to say – she just knew she couldn’t cope. For a long time when growing up Caoileann, who is now a performance dietitian and social media personality, didn’t have the language to explain how she was feeling. “When I was younger, mental health just wasn’t really a thing,” she says. “It wasn’t something we were even aware of or spoke about.” At the time, Cáoileánn was 19 and struggling silently through her first year of university. What had started as feelings of anxiety in her

Broughshane Primary School have taken part in Walk to School Week by encouraging pupils to get active and stay safe on their journeys as part of the Active School Travel (AST) programme, delivered by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (WWCT) and funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and the Department for Infrastructure. Walk to School Week [20–24 May] is an annual UK-wide initiative that encourages children to walk, wheel, cycle or scoot to school, helping to build healthy habits and increase daily physical activity. Taking place each May as part of National Walking Month, the five-day challenge

During Child Safety week (1 – 7 June) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging families to take simple, practical steps to help keep children safe at home. The annual campaign focuses on how small, everyday actions can make a meaningful difference in reducing the risk of accidents — particularly for younger children. This year’s theme – ‘making prevention possible’ – emphasises practical steps and small behavioural changes that can significantly reduce the risk of accidents. Unintentional injuries remain one of the leading causes of death and serious injury among children in Northern