‘Everyone has a role to play in raising awareness and supporting breastfeeding in Northern Ireland’, that’s what delegates at the Public Health Agency’s (PHA) Breastfeeding Seminar, held yesterday [16 April] in Antrim heard about the importance of providing a supportive environment and ensuring that women receive the very best support to help them breastfeed their babies. Professionals and volunteers alike were unanimous in their call to give babies the best start in life.

Northern Ireland pharmacists are prescribing safely and appropriately, a new study has found. The study found widespread acceptance of pharmacist prescribing by patients and medical colleagues. The report, commissioned by the Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) and the HSC R&D Division of the Public Health Agency (PHA), is the first evaluation of independent prescribing by non-medical prescribers in Northern Ireland since legislation in 2006 enabled nurses and pharmacists to independently prescribe.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is continuing to urge all those in ‘at-risk’ groups, who have not yet been vaccinated against flu, to get the jab now given recent flu related outbreaks in a number of nursing and residential homes in Northern Ireland. This situation is not unexpected, as for some weeks flu has been circulating albeit at low levels in Northern Ireland. Similar trends have been seen in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Now that spring is here with longer, brighter days, the Public Health Agency is encouraging everyone to use this opportunity to think positively about their mental health. In Northern Ireland, one in five people will experience mental health issues, so it is important to be aware of the signs that could indicate a problem, and to do something about them.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding parents of the importance of their children completing the childhood immunisation programme to help prevent serious disease and illness following a reported increase of whooping cough (pertussis) cases in Northern Ireland. Similar increases have been reported in England, Wales and Scotland.