‘It’s ok to ask about clinical research’ is the message from the launch of the public awareness campaign to encourage patients, carers and the public to ask healthcare professionals if there is a study they might be suitable for.

“Don’t bottle it up” is the message from health and social care professionals this week during Dementia Awareness week 2014. The Public Health Agency and Health and Social Care Board are working jointly with the Alzheimer’s Society, the Dementia Services Development Centre and local Health and Social Care Trusts to implement Improving Dementia Services in Northern Ireland. This regional strategy aims to promote a culture which ensures people with dementia are supported to live with dignity and without stigma.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is lending a helping hand to new mums through a Breastfeeding Peer Support programme which has welcomed 10 new volunteer members. The volunteers are women who have breastfed their own children and who, with specialised training, provide mother-to-mother support to other women who breastfeed. In partnership with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT), a special event was hosted to celebrate the recent success of the breastfeeding peer support volunteers.

Since July last year the routine childhood immunisation schedule has included the rotavirus vaccine to help protect babies against the very common and potentially serious diarrhoea and vomiting bug. The Public Health Agency (PHA) is pleased to report that the latest figures show that the number of confirmed rotavirus cases is significantly down compared with the previous four years, showing that the vaccine is making a real difference.

Parents and carers in the Lisburn have been asked for their views on how best to develop services for children aged 0-3 in their area. The Public Health Agency (PHA) is one of the lead partners in the Resurgam Community Development Trust’s ‘Early Intervention Lisburn’ (EIL) project which held a one-day event in Lagan Valley Leisureplex to listen to the views of people in the communities of Hillhall, Tonagh, Old Warren, Knockmore and Hilden.

The Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP) has launched a consultation process today, entitled: ‘Building Emotional Resilience Strategy 2014-17’. The BSP’s Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Thematic Group will seek the views of Belfast residents, community and voluntary groups and interested bodies, to help inform decisions about building emotional resilience for Belfast citizens. ‘Emotional resilience’ refers to an individual’s ability to adapt to stressful situations or crises.

A call has been issued for patients, families and carers to complete a major all-island survey of palliative care experiences. The 'Let’s Talk About' survey is the first of its kind across Ireland and continues until the end of May. A drive on responses to the survey is being sought as part of this week’s Dying Matters Awareness Week in Northern Ireland. The survey can be completed online at www.letstalk-about.org.

Around 200 people in Northern Ireland are on the transplant waiting list and sadly around 15 people die each year waiting for an organ. Despite support for organ donation being extremely high, more than two thirds of the population here are not on the organ donor register. To help tackle this issue, the Public Health Agency (PHA) will be hosting an awareness stand packed full of information on organ donation at this year’s Balmoral show from Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 May.