With the festive party season getting into full flow, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is on hand with some helpful advice and some safer drinking tips, if you choose to drink alcohol. Many of us over-indulge at Christmas, but overdoing it with alcohol could seriously damage your health. Michael Owen, the PHA’s lead for Drugs and Alcohol, said: “Many of us like to have a drink at Christmas and we’re not saying people shouldn’t, but it’s important that we enjoy ourselves safely. “Many people do not realise that alcohol is a powerful drug and we need to be careful how we use it. Drinking too much

Pharmacies here are stepping up their efforts to help keep antibiotics working in the fight against antibiotic resistance. More than 500 community pharmacies are taking part in the Living Well service, which provides information and advice on key public health issues. Living Well is a Public Health Agency (PHA), Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI) collaboration, with the current phase of the campaign focussing on getting the best advice on antibiotics. Dr Jenny Mack, Public Health Doctor at the PHA, said: “We use more antibiotics than we need to and because

Ahead of World AIDS Day (1 December) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging everyone to practise safer sex and get tested early if they have put themselves at risk. A new report from the PHA shows that there are 1,130 people in Northern Ireland living with HIV. The ‘HIV surveillance in Northern Ireland 2019’ report also shows that 84 new first-UK cases of HIV were diagnosed here in 2018. The report provides analysis of the HIV data for Northern Ireland in 2018 and trends over the years. Dr Claire Neill, Specialty Registrar in Public Health at the PHA, said: “The report shows a four

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone who is eligible to receive the free flu vaccine to make arrangements to get it to maximise their protection against the virus over winter. The call comes as the agency’s latest flu bulletin, [11 November—24 November 2019] published today, shows that there has been an increase in flu-like illnesses. The PHA is also highlighting the importance of hand hygiene and self-care when preventing and managing illness to reduce the spread of infection. The latest figures from the PHA, although low, do show that people consulting their GP with flu or flu

Community pharmacies across the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust area are offering advice and support on a wide range of winter illnesses to help us stay well during the colder months. The ‘Living Well’ service provides information and advice on key public health issues and was launched earlier this year by the Public Health Agency (PHA), the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI).‘Stay Well This Winter’ is the theme currently running in all pharmacies, and patients and customers can get help and support from their local pharmacist during the winter