Statement issued jointly by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and the Public Health Agency

Residents from Derrybeg Community Association in Newry have received funding from the Southern Investing for Health Partnership (SIHP). The SIHP is a committee of the Public Health Agency and covers the council areas of Armagh, Newry and Mourne, Dungannon, Cragiavon and Banbridge. Its Neighborhood and Environmental Issue Group awarded the funding to the Association to help clean up a large area of grass and footpaths within the local community that have become overgrown and inaccessible to the residents.

In Northern Ireland over 127,000 children bring their own food to school so it is important to ensure that food is both appetising and is good for health. Recent surveys looking at children’s lunchboxes revealed that they are often too high in fat, salt and sugar, with just under half of the lunchboxes containing no fruit. ¹’²

The Public Health Agency incident team managing an outbreak of E coli 0157 at Holly House nursery has agreed to its reopening. The PHA and its partner organisations have worked with staff within the nursery to agree changes and have reinforced good infection prevention and control measures.The PHA will continue to monitor the situation closely. ENDS For further information Contact PHA Press Office, Ormeau Avenue on 028 9031 1611