The Public Health Agency and SPPG are committed to improving the quality of services in Northern Ireland.

Learning Matters Newsletter provides a new method of sharing learning relating to serious adverse incidents, complaints, reviews and patient experience across Northern Ireland.

If you have any comments or questions on the articles in the newsletter please get in contact by email at learningmatters@hscni.net or by telephone on 0300 555 0114.

The 2013/14 influenza season started later than in 2012/13, it did not last as long and was noted at generally lower levels throughout than the previous season. Clinical indices began to increase in early January and peaked in mid-March, with community syndromic indicators not exceeding the baseline threshold at any time during the season. GP influenza-like illness consultation rates in 2013/14 were lower than those in the 2012/13 season for the majority of the season and remained low overall.

This Business Plan sets out the key priorities and actions that will be progressed by the Public Health Agency (PHA) in 2014/15. The PHA believes that these actions will have the biggest impact on improving levels of health and social wellbeing, protecting the health of the community, and ensuring patients continue to receive high quality and safe treatment and care services.

The business plan is available to download below.

This booklet explains how you can plan ahead for your future care in Northern Ireland. It discusses creating a Lasting Power of Attorney, writing down how you'd like to be cared for using a Preferred Priorities for Care document and writing Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment. It also has information about making a will, organ and tissue donation, and funeral planning.

Please note: This booklet only covers Northern Ireland. If you live in England, Scotland and Wales you should ask a healthcare or legal professional to give you information that's relevant to that country.

This poster shows graphically how much of each of the following food groups we should eat for a healthy, balanced diet: fruit and vegetables; potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates; dairy and alternatives; beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins; and oils and spreads.  

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI) is an essential component in the delivery of truly person centred services. It is also a statutory duty. The PHA has leadership responsibilities in respect of the implementation of PPI across HSC. One of the ways in which the PHA discharges that leadership function, is through the Regional HSC PPI Forum. This body brings together all HSC organisations, working alongside service users and carers, to bring a focus on involvement. 

This leaflet is for patients who have no functioning spleen. It explains their condition and outlines some important information that patients with no functioning spleen need to know.