The Public Health Agency (PHA) is launching its ‘Under the surface’ multimedia public information campaign on Thursday 6 October 2011. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the early warning signs that could indicate a mental health issue and encourage people to seek help. ‘Under the surface’ will be broadcast from 10 October (World Mental Health Day) to 20 November (National Suicide Survivors’ day) and will be carried in local press, on radio, TV, online and on the campaign website www.mindingyourhead.info

Saturday 8 October 2011 marks World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. The Public Health Agency (PHA) would like to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world by raising awareness and understanding of the needs – medical, social, practical and spiritual – of people living with a life-limiting illness, and their families.

Pregnant women are more likely to develop serious complications as a result of flu compared to women who are not pregnant, so the message from the Public Health Agency (PHA) is to protect yourself and your baby by getting the flu vaccine. Each year the flu vaccine protects against the three most common strains of flu and this year includes swine flu (H1N1), which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women.

As students were signing up for new clubs and societies at Queen’s Fresher’s fair, the Public Health Agency (PHA) alongside the Northern Ireland Transplant Association (NITA) and specialist nurses from NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) hosted a stall to promote the NHS Organ Donor Register.

‘Flu is more serious than you think – so get the flu jab now’– that is the message from the Public Health Agency (PHA) as the seasonal flu vaccination programme gets underway for 2011/12. The PHA is urging all those in ‘at risk’ groups, including pregnant women at all stages of pregnancy, to get their flu vaccine early.

Health Minister Edwin Poots has called together key figures in tackling suicide and reaffirmed his commitment to tackling rising rates in Northern Ireland. The Minister requested the workshop in Belfast, which brought together key people from the community and voluntary sectors to consider what further action could be taken to help tackle rising levels of suicide and self-harm in local communities. The workshop was organised by the Public Health Agency (PHA).