Lagan Valley MLA, Edwin Poots, has been appointed Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The Democratic Unionist Party member will hold the role for two years before it is taken over by Jim Wells MLA (South Down). Mr Poots will be supported in his new role by Alex Easton MLA (North Down) who will serve as an Assembly Private Secretary in the Department.

Approximately 2000 people a year in Northern Ireland sustain and are living with the long-term effects of a brain injury. Brain injuries can be caused by a number of different reasons including falls, road traffic accidents and assault. The effects on the person with the brain injury and on their families can be life changing.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) welcomes European Immunisation Week (23 – 30 April 2011) as an opportunity to highlight to parents the importance of their children completing the childhood immunisation programme, to help prevent serious disease and illness. It is also a chance to celebrate the very high uptake levels for childhood vaccines being achieved in Northern Ireland.

In Northern Ireland over 300 people are currently waiting for organ donation. With this in mind, the Public Health Agency (PHA), on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), is hosting an organ donor stand at this year’s Balmoral Show, to increase awareness of this emotive issue and to help improve rates of organ donation in Northern Ireland.

To mark Cancer Prevention Week (9–15 May 2011) the Public Health Agency (PHA) has highlighted that although around 9,000 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year in Northern Ireland, one third of cancers are preventable and early detection helps successful treatment. The PHA has outlined some steps that can reduce the risk of getting cancer:

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is sending out a clear message – SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands. The PHA is supporting the World Health Organization (WHO) in their global campaign to improve and sustain excellent levels of hand hygiene. This campaign focuses on the reduction of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) by emphasising the vital role played by all health and social care workers in keeping hand hygiene a top priority.

Young children, parents and grandparents in the Southern area recently attended a ‘Healthy steps for life’ workshop in the newly opened Seashell Centre, Kilkeel. The workshop highlighted the importance of promoting healthy eating and being active for the under fives. ‘Healthy steps for life’ is a Public Health Agency (PHA) funded programme to promote healthy lifestyles in early years and to reduce the growing rates of childhood obesity.