The Public Health Agency (PHA) is calling on parents of pre-school and primary school children to get their kids vaccinated against flu. This will help protect not only them but also those around them, particularly older grandparents or relations with an underlying health condition. Children in particular can increase the spread of the flu virus in the community, but vaccination helps curb this. Last year, seasonal flu activity was the highest seen since the 2009 pandemic, with 119 cases of flu in intensive care/ high dependency units (ICU/HDU) – more than twice as many as the previous year –

The health service, policy makers and the public will benefit from a €2 million, all-island, investment to improve ways of gathering and combining evidence (known as evidence synthesis) and using it effectively to inform health and health care decisions. Evidence synthesis is a structured process where relevant information on a topic is gathered, reviewed, assessed and brought together to support evidence-informed policy and/or practice decisions. This new initiative, Evidence Synthesis Ireland , will be funded for three years by the Research and Development Division of the Public Health

Research carried out on behalf of the All Ireland Institute for Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) has shown that seven in ten people believe that if palliative care could help them they would like a health care professional to discuss it with them. Today marks the start of Palliative Care Week (9 to 15 September 2018) and AIIHPC surveyed people across Northern Ireland about their understanding of palliative care.* Karen Charnley, AIIHPC Director, said: “Our survey shows that many people would like to begin a conversation about a topic often considered too difficult and too frightening to

As World Suicide Prevention Day approaches the Public Health Agency (PHA) is raising awareness of the training opportunities available in mental and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention. Almost 15,000 participants [1] received PHA-funded training in mental and emotional wellbeing and suicide prevention last year. The PHA commissions a range of training programmes which are delivered across Northern Ireland, which range from raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing to providing advice on crisis intervention. “Improving mental health and reducing the prevalence of suicide are very

As the first week of the new school year gets under way, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is raising awareness with parents about the importance of good hygiene – both in school and at home. “Schools can be a common breeding ground for germs and bugs so it is important to take steps to reduce the risk of picking up or spreading germs to others,” said Dr Philip Veal, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA. Parents and schools can help reduce the spread of germs by encouraging kids to practise good personal hygiene by: Washing hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after using the toilet

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging parents to take up the offer of the HPV vaccine for their daughters aged 12-13. As the new school year gets under way, the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, which reduces the risk of cervical cancer, will again be routinely offered to girls in years 9 and 10 in schools across Northern Ireland. Dr Lucy Jessop, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “We urge parents of girls who are eligible to receive the HPV vaccine to make sure that they get it to reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer when they are older. “Our latest figures

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is calling on people to get talking about organ donation and share their donation decision with their loved ones this Organ Donation Week (3 – 9 September). The ‘Words save lives’ campaign highlights the need to tell your family you want to save lives through organ donation. More and more people are supporting organ donation, but there is still an urgent shortage. “People are dying every day in Northern Ireland because some families are not talking about donation. Recent statistics here reveal that 14 people died last year waiting for an organ,” said Dr Catherine