ISSUED BY HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE BOARD Three new initiatives, developed by the Regional Acquired Brain Injury Implementation Group (RABIIG) have been launched by Health Minister Edwin Poots to improve information and services for parents, carers and service users of brain injury services in Northern Ireland.

In 2011, 31,574 people were registered as having Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Northern Ireland. The most common cause of COPD is smoking and to mark this year’s World COPD day, which takes place on Wednesday 16 November, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging all smokers to make a decision to stop smoking today and reduce their risk of developing the disease.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is liaising with Northern Ireland Water and can confirm that a ‘Boil water’ notice is still in force until further notice as a precautionary measure, in the area of Finvoy. Dr Brian Smyth, Consultant in Health Protection, PHA said: “All water to be used for drinking, preparing food, brushing teeth, used in baby formula and making ice cubes, for example, should be boiled and cooled before use, in the affected area. People should also take care with boiled water, to avoid burns and scalds.

In 2011 nearly 73,000 adults in Northern Ireland are registered as having diabetes. Many cases of diabetes are preventable and are the result of obesity. With this in mind, on World Diabetes Day, 14 November 2011, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging everyone across Northern Ireland to be aware of how Type 2 diabetes can be prevented, the dangers it can cause to your health and what the signs and symptoms of diabetes are to ensure early diagnosis.

The Public Health Agency is reinforcing the advice of the Food Standards Agency regarding the consumption of Lloyd Grossman Korma sauce product, in relation to two cases of botulism in Scotland. A full recall of the product batch has been issued and the sauce is being removed from shop shelves. The affected batch is: 350g jars of Lloyd Grossman Korma sauce with a best before date of February 2013. The sauce has a batch code of: 1218R 07:21

Mouth cancer awareness week begins on the 13 – 20 November. With this in mind the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer and is encouraging all smokers thinking about stopping smoking to make the decision to stop today.

Elected representatives from Cookstown, Magherafelt and Dungannon and South Tyrone councils have joined with the Public Health Agency (PHA) and both the Northern and Southern Health and Social Care Trusts to launch the Mid-Ulster Cluster plan. This plan, and the actions that follow from it, will improve the health and wellbeing of the people in the mid-Ulster area.

With the seasonal flu vaccination programme well underway, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reporting a 25% increase (47,500 doses) in vaccine uptake from this time last year.

Recent independent research by the University of Liverpool has found that the Public Health Agency (PHA) funded School Health and Alcohol Harm Reduction Project (SHAHRP) has achieved significant, positive results in raising awareness of alcohol misuse and reducing alcohol-related harm. Delivered annually to 16,000 pupils in schools across Belfast and the South Eastern area, SHAHRP was evaluated against groups of pupils who did not receive the project; these are called the ‘control’ group.