Today (Monday 6 September) is the launch of this year’s HSC mental and emotional wellbeing campaign ‘Holding On To Hope in a Changing World'. A five week social media campaign will link World Suicide Prevention Day on Friday 10 September through to World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The six Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland have joined forces with the Public Health Agency (PHA) to create the campaign to raise awareness of what we can do for ourselves and others to nurture hope in these challenging times. It encourages everyone to hold on to hope to protect our mental and

A campaign that aims to promote the early diagnosis of cancer by raising awareness of the signs and symptoms has been launched in community pharmacies throughout Northern Ireland as part of the Living Well service. Be Cancer Aware highlights the role of community pharmacy in providing advice and support, and encourages people who may be experiencing symptoms to talk to their GP without delay. The campaign, which will run throughout August and September, also aims to promote lifestyle changes to help reduce the risk of developing cancers and encourages anyone who wants to make positive changes

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who hasn’t yet had the COVID-19 vaccine to get it at the ‘Big Jab Weekend’ this Saturday and Sunday. The promotion on 21 and 22 August will see Northern Ireland’s mass vaccination centres offering walk-in first jabs for all adult age groups, as well as vaccines being available at walk-in pop-up clinics across Northern Ireland and at participating community pharmacies. Dr Jillian Johnston, Public Health Consultant at the PHA, said: “We are making a big push for anyone who hasn’t yet had the vaccine to get it this weekend. I know some people may

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has welcomed Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health, to Linenhall Street, Belfast to visit one of three new satellite sites established by the agency to further bolster contact tracing, and to meet the team behind the PHA’s Acute Health Protection Service. The main Contact Tracing Service (CTS) centre in County Hall, Ballymena will now be supported by three additional sites across Northern Ireland – one in Belfast, one in Armagh and one in Derry/Londonderry. Alongside this, the team in the Acute Health Protection Service

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging people to continue to be vigilant for COVID-19 as rates in Northern Ireland remain higher than elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Dr David Cromie, Consultant in Health Protection at the PHA, said: “It is vital that we all do as much as we can to stop the spread of COVID-19 infection. This is a serious disease and people are still dying or becoming very unwell. “ We need everyone to continue to follow the public health advice, get tested if they are symptomatic, and engage with the Contact Tracing Centre (CTS) if they test positive for COVID-19. If you