Over the past four days, transplant athletes from across the UK have been competing in the Westfield Health British Transplant Games in Belfast. As the athletes begin to return home, the Public Health Agency (PHA) believes the Games will have a lasting impact on not only Belfast, but Northern Ireland as a whole.

On the first day of Westfield Health British Transplant Games, The Public Health Agency (PHA) is delighted to announce that more people in Northern Ireland are joining the NHS Organ Donation Register; figures released today show that registration has reached an impressive 500,550.

Four research fellowships, awarded by Health and Social Care Research and Development (HSC R&D) Division at the Public Health Agency (PHA), will improve understanding, approaches and ultimately outcomes for patients in specific areas of head and neck cancer; breast cancer; the effect of antibiotic use in some hospital acquired infections; and end of life care in the intensive care unit.

After much anticipation and excitement, the Westfield Health British Transplant Games are finally here. With events beginning on Thursday 4 August, the Public Health Agency (PHA) would like to take the opportunity to welcome all the athletes to Belfast and wish them all the very best in the upcoming sporting events.

Evidence shows breast screening is the most reliable way of detecting early breast cancer at a stage when treatment is usually simpler and more successful, therefore reducing deaths. Breast cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is detected at an early stage – 97% of women diagnosed through screening survive at least five years compared to 84% for all breast cancer patients.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) will be joining the Belfast Pride celebrations in Custom House Square this Saturday (30 July), where information on health and wellbeing issues that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGB&T) people in Northern Ireland will also be provided. The PHA was set up to promote and enhance the factors that influence good health and wellbeing, and to reduce the avoidable and unjust differences in health experienced by the best and the worst-off in our society.