Over 70 health and research professionals came together for a workshop on Tuesday 17 April to make sure Northern Ireland actively contributes to setting the health systems research agenda for the coming years, both at home and abroad. This ‘National Round Table Consultation’ was organised by the Research and Development Division of the Public Health Agency (HSC R&D, PHA) at Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey, with the support of TO-REACH, a European consortium of 28 partners from throughout Europe and beyond, including funding bodies, policy makers and researchers.

What is scarlet fever? Scarlet fever is a common childhood infection caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (also known as group A Streptococcus [GAS]). These bacteria may be found on the skin, throat and other sites where they can live without causing problems. Under some circumstances GAS can cause non-invasive infections such as pharyngitis, impetigo and scarlet fever. On rare occasions they can cause severe disease, including streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, necrotising fasciitis, and septicaemia.

Latest figures have revealed that the percentage of people in Northern Ireland on the Organ Donor Register (ODR) continues to rise, but with the number of actual donors having levelled out, much work still needs to be done, says the Public Health Agency (PHA).

Despite the weather spring is here and the first lambs have already begun to appear in the fields, so the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding pregnant women about the risk of close contact with sheep during lambing season. The PHA is advising women who are, or think they may be, pregnant to reduce their risk of miscarriage and infection by avoiding close contact with sheep during lambing season, which runs until around the end of April.

With the clocks having sprung forward at the weekend, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging everyone to use the stretch in the evenings to stretch their legs. Colette Brolly, the PHA’s lead on physical activity, said: “The longer evenings mean we have more time to get involved in physical activity, whether it’s getting out on the bike, having a kick-about in the park or getting out for a walk.

New figures from the Public Health Agency (PHA) reveal that the number of reported cases of Tuberculosis (TB) has dropped in Northern Ireland. The data have been published ahead of World TB Day [24 March] and show that there were 71 cases reported in 2017 compared with 85 confirmed cases in 2016. In 2015 there were 62 confirmed cases and 95 in 2014.

A set of national standards designed to improve the quality and consistency of public involvement in research launch today at the 2018 Patients First conference - hosted jointly by the AMRC and the ABPI - and at the Involving People Network Annual Meeting 20