The Public Health Agency (PHA) is using Self-Harm Awareness Day (1 March) as an opportunity to encourage people who are affected by self-harm to seek help. Self-harm is when a person harms themselves through injury or poisoning. People self-harm for various reasons and are usually experiencing severe emotional distress. For some people, self-harm is a way of coping with and communicating their distress but for others it can be associated with a wish to end their lives and therefore it should always be taken seriously.

On this extra day of the leap year, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is launching a new obesity prevention campaign making people aware of the consequences of eating ‘extras’. A new TV ad will be on our screens from tonight showing how eating just an extra 100 Calories each day more than your body needs – around one and a half digestive biscuits or just six extra chips – could add up to 10lb of weight gain per year, impacting on your health and wellbeing.

Health Minister Simon Hamilton today published the new research and development (R&D) strategy for the Health and Social Care (HSC) sector. With investment of over £10million annually, the new strategy aims to enhance the health, wellbeing and prosperity of people in Northern Ireland through world renowned research and development.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is again reminding people in “at risk” groups and others who are eligible, to get the winter flu vaccine, with a warning about the deadly dangers associated with catching the flu. As in previous years, influenza H1N1 (often known as "swine flu") is one of the strains of flu circulating this flu season, but it is covered by the free vaccine which is being offered.

To mark one month to go before Northern Ireland’s health and social care sites go smoke free, Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride and Public Health Agency (PHA) Chief Executive Dr Eddie Rooney have demolished a smoking shelter at the Northern Ireland Cancer Centre, which will be replaced by a bike shelter.