‘Local communities can make a significant contribution to improving health and wellbeing when they are empowered to make positive changes for themselves’.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding people who have used mental health services to make sure their views are heard by completing the ‘Your Story Can Change Lives’ survey, before 31 October.

An international group of researchers has discovered two genes that increase the risk of developing diabetes-associated kidney disease. Kidney disease is a common and serious complication of diabetes and it is associated with a greatly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Globally, diabetic kidney disease is now the leading cause of kidney failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplant. Up to now scientists and clinicians were aware that some patients developed kidney disease but not why this happened.

Pregnant women are more likely to develop serious complications as a result of flu compared to women who are not pregnant, so the message from the Public Health Agency (PHA) is to protect yourself and your baby by getting the flu vaccine. First-time mum-to-be Grainne Cushley is 34 weeks pregnant, and explained that getting the flu vaccine was an easy decision to make.

“Mental health issues can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex or background” – that is the key message for this year’s World Mental Health Day from the Public Health Agency (PHA). World Mental Health Day aims to raise public awareness about the wide range of mental health issues which people experience.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging all local smokers to support ‘Stoptober’ – a Department of Health campaign running in England to encourage smokers to go smoke-free during the month of October. The campaign seeks to encourage as many smokers as possible to attempt to go smokefree for 28-days throughout October as they are five times more likely to stay smokefree if they successfully make it through the first four weeks of their quit attempt.

People in south Belfast can now get fit in a fresh way at a newly launched outdoor gym at Blythefield in the Sandy Row and Village area. Funded by Belfast City Council and the Public Health Agency under the Active Belfast Programme, the gym is the first of its kind in the Belfast council area and has been installed in consultation with the local community. Today (Monday, 1 October) the gym was officially opened, and members of the community can now try a range of exercises including air walking, hip twisting and ski cross country all in one place.

With Breast Cancer Awareness month beginning today (Monday 1st - Wednesday 31st October 2012) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging all women to be breast aware and to attend screening when invited. “Prevention and early detection are key to saving lives,” said Dr Adrian Mairs, Consultant in Public Health, PHA and Quality Assurance Director for the Northern Ireland Breast Screening Programme.

Following today’s announcement by the Health Minister of a vaccination programme against whooping cough (also known as pertussis) for pregnant women in their third trimester, the Public Health Agency (PHA) has confirmed the details of the programme.