This month’s Transmit leads with the recently published HIV and STI surveillance in Northern Ireland 2011 report, which was launched on World Aids Day. The bulletin provides a summary of the headline statistics from the report and includes a graph showing rates of the main STI diagnoses since 2000.

There is also an update on the HPV vaccine, which is now into its fourth year of being offered in schools. The bulletin gives an overview of the vaccination process and gives a summary of vaccine uptake rates by the end of Years 9 and 10 in school.

The Influenza Weekly Surveillance Bulletin is produced by the PHA and covers statistics for Northern Ireland. The bulletin is produced during the flu season

The Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network (NICRN) undertakes research in a range of medical fields, which have recently been expanded to include mental health. The NICRN is part of a UK-wide initiative to provide opportunities for patients and clinicians to participate in high-quality clinical research.

Cook it! is a nutrition programme that has been developed for use in local communities in Northern Ireland. It can be used with a wide range of groups including young/single parents, young people leaving residential care, offenders during rehabilitation programmes, older people in sheltered accommodation and now people from certain black and minority ethnic (BME) groups.  

The programme offers hands-on, practical experience of cooking and preparing food, as well as improving knowledge of healthy eating and food safety.

A study by the University of Ulster, funded by Health and Social Care Research and Development Division of the Public Health Agency, enabled members of six Allied Health Professions (AHPs) to express opinions on research needs within their areas of expertise.

The Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Edwin Poots MLA, asked Department officials and the Public Health Agency to organise a workshop to support the implementation of the Protect Life Strategy and to consider what further action is needed in order to tackle the high level of suicides and self harm in Northern Ireland.

The resulting report from the event is attached below.

The Influenza Weekly Surveillance Bulletin is produced by the PHA and covers statistics for Northern Ireland. The bulletin is produced during the flu season

This edition of Transmit leads with updated guidance in the management of meningococcal disease, which tends to be more common during the winter months. Information is provided on pre-admission management of suspected cases and chemoprophylaxis for close contacts of cases.