The Public Health Agency (PHA) has issued a pre-Christmas warning to parents and guardians about the dangers of lithium button cell batteries, which are used to power many children’s toys but are highly dangerous if accidentally swallowed. The festive period can typically see a rise in the number of these small, button-shaped batteries introduced to the home as they are contained in many toys, musical Christmas cards, remote controls and a host of other electronic items. Hilary Johnston, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager at the PHA, said: “Young children are naturally inquisitive

As the New Year approaches, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging people to make a resolution worth keeping – quitting smoking. The PHA is currently running a mass media campaign to encourage people to stop smoking and highlight the free quit services that are available across Northern Ireland. Colette Rogers, Strategic Lead for Tobacco Control with the PHA, said: “New Year is a time when many people decide to quit smoking, and while some might be able to do it with very little support, others find that planning ahead and making use of the free support services that are available can

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging all people eligible for the free flu vaccine who have not yet been vaccinated to get it now. Flu has recently started to circulate in Northern Ireland , so people should receive the vaccine before it spreads more widely. The sooner you get it, the better protected you will be. Parents of pre-school children are urged to maximise protection for their children against flu, which can be a serious illness, by getting them the nasal spray vaccine. Those aged 65 and over, under the age of 65 with underlying health conditions, and pregnant women are also more

The Public Health Agency (PHA), in partnership with councils in Northern Ireland, is urging everyone to identify factors that can increase the risk of falls, and take steps to prevent them from occurring this winter. Falls can have a very serious impact, resulting in pain and injury, and in some cases even death, so it is important to take measures to help prevent them happening. Hilary Johnston, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager with the PHA, said: “A fall can have a huge impact on a person both mentally and physically. This can include pain, injury, distress, loss of confidence

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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. “Many people do not realise that alcohol is a powerful drug and we need to be careful how we use it. Drinking too much

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. Dr Jenny Mack, Public Health Doctor at the PHA, said: “We use more antibiotics than we need to and because

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. Dr Claire Neill, Specialty Registrar in Public Health at the PHA, said: “The report shows a four