As the winter months are approaching the Public Health Agency (PHA) is using Global Handwashing Day on October 15 to remind people of the need to maintain good hand hygiene. This will help to reduce the risk of picking up or spreading winter viruses such as influenza and norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting bug. The PHA is urging everyone to make a habit of regularly washing their hands with soap and warm water. Older people and those with underlying health conditions need to be particularly aware of ways to reduce their risk of picking up infections.

‘Local communities can make a significant contribution to improving health and wellbeing when they are empowered to make positive changes for themselves’.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people who have used mental health services to make sure their views are heard by completing the ‘Your Story Can Change Lives’ survey, before 31 October.

An international group of researchers has discovered two genes that increase the risk of developing diabetes-associated kidney disease. Kidney disease is a common and serious complication of diabetes and it is associated with a greatly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Globally, diabetic kidney disease is now the leading cause of kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplant. Up to now scientists and clinicians were aware that some patients developed kidney disease but not why this happened.

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. First-time mum-to-be Grainne Cushley is 34 weeks pregnant, and explained that getting the flu vaccine was an easy decision to make.

“Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex or background” – that is the key message for this year’s World Mental Health Day from the Public Health Agency (PHA). World Mental Health Day aims to raise public awareness about the wide range of mental health issues which people experience.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging all local smokers to support ‘Stoptober’ – a Department of Health campaign running in England to encourage smokers to go smoke-free during the month of October. The campaign seeks to encourage as many smokers as possible to attempt to go smokefree for 28-days throughout October as they are five times more likely to stay smokefree if they successfully make it through the first four weeks of their quit attempt.