The Public Health Agency (PHA) has funded Extern to commence a pilot project of a community-based needle exchange service, helping to meet the needs of people who inject. Those who previously used the Boots Needle and Syringe Exchange Scheme (NSES) service will continue to have full access to needle exchange services in Belfast city centre Along with the new community-based pilot project, they will be redirected to other needle exchange community pharmacies in the city centre, and for clients with more complex needs, community-based service providers, including the Belfast Drug Outreach team

Claragh Gibney, a year 9 pupil at St Colman’s, Ballynahinch was diagnosed three years ago with type 1 diabetes after her mum Teresa took her to her GP after noticing a number of symptoms. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce insulin. It is the most common type of diabetes in children and young adults. Claragh’s mum Teresa explains: “She was a perfectly healthy nine year old. She went to school and attended dance classes; it wasn’t until we went on holidays that she started to get sick. “We noticed her asking for drinks – water, juice or

On Friday 11th October a networking event was held in Seagoe Parish Centre, Portadown. The Public Health Agency (PHA), Southern Health & Social Care Trust, Councils (Armagh Banbridge Craigavon, Newry Mourne and Down and Mid Ulster) and the Protect Life Community & Voluntary Forum came together to organise and participate in the promotional event. The aim of the event was to provide an opportunity for those working to promote positive mental health in the Southern area to raise awareness of the various services available in their locality and connect and support eachother. Participants heard

Experts from across Europe will meet in Belfast this week to discuss collaboration and development in an innovative area of healthcare known as personalised medicine. Personalised medicine aims to shift treatment from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to one which targets treatments and therapies to the individual needs of each patient, securing better outcomes and more effective prevention. Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer, said: “Here in Northern Ireland, personalised medicine is an area of substantial and rapidly increasing focus. A growing population with a higher number of older

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have discovered a new way to predict the aggressiveness and future behaviour of prostate cancers. The research was supported by the Belfast-Manchester Movember Centre of Excellence, Prostate Cancer UK, and the Health and Social Care Research and Development Division of the Public Health Agency. The new method uses images from computed tomography (CT) scans that are routinely collected from all patients. The images are then analysed by a computer to extract hundreds of features, termed ‘radiomic features’, which have the potential to uncover disease

Researchers from both sides of the Irish border have joined together in a large trial that looks at whether an inexpensive medication, already used to treat other conditions, could help prevent those who have already had a stroke from having a further stroke. The CONVINCE study – which is currently taking place in nine centres across Europe – has been extended to include centres in Northern Ireland and the border counties of the Republic of Ireland. The extension follows a funding boost of just over €600,000 by the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland, the Stroke Association, and the

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month the Public Health Agency (PHA) is raising awareness of signs and symptoms of the condition, and encouraging women to look out for changes in their breasts. “There were 1,478 cases of breast cancer diagnosed in Northern Ireland in 2017,” said Dr Louise Herron, Consultant in Service Development and Screening at the PHA. “Most women know that if you get a lump in your breast you need to get it checked out early. But lumps aren’t the only sign of breast cancer. Our breasts look and feel different at different times in our lives. If you are worried about any

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who falls into an eligible group to get the free flu vaccine. The calls comes as the agency launches this year’s flu vaccination programme, offering vaccines which are specially formulated to tackle the strains of the virus which are expected to be circulating this winter. Dr Jillian Johnston, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “For most people flu is a very unpleasant illness, but in some cases and for those in ‘at risk’ groups it can be very dangerous and sometimes fatal. That is why we have a wide-ranging vaccination programme