The NBCP (National Bereavement Care Pathway) is funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and is led by Sands. The vision of the project is to achieve equitable care for every bereaved parent and every family, every time there is a pregnancy loss, or the death of a baby. The project will create a set of five bereavement care pathways: Miscarriage including molar and ectopic pregnancy, termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly (TOPFA), stillbirth, neonatal death, and sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) with the parent voice at the forefront of each. Throughout January 2025, the team will

The Public Health Agency is excited to announce the official relaunch of the Minding your head website https://www.mindingyourhead.info is a valuable informational resource created to provide up-to-date information and self-help advice for mental health and wellbeing. The website provides: clear, up-to-date information on mental health and wellbeing, including anxiety, low mood and depression, stress and more; clear information on how you can support someone with their mental health, including information on supporting children and young people; a service directory for people to find help with

With Christmas festivities under way and our minds turning to other things, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is highlighting potential dangers in your home and providing helpful tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Over the Christmas period many of us will spend more time at home, so we need to be aware of the risk of home accidents, with many of these being preventable. Each year there are approximately 14,000 admissions to hospital in Northern Ireland as a result of unintentional injuries. Diane McIntyre from the PHA said “Accidents often occur when we’re distracted and can happen

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has officially launched the early years obesity prevention programme, HENRY, to help support families to provide the best start in life for babies and children. The 8-week HENRY programme equips health visiting teams and Sure Start staff with the knowledge, skills and confidence to tackle sensitive issues including raising the issue of overweight and obesity. Trained facilitators across the five local health and social care trusts work with families over the course of 8-weeks either through group-based sessions or a targeted one-to-one programme. The focus of the

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging people to stay safe and not take risks with alcohol and other drugs over the festive party season. Most fatal overdoses involve the use of more than one type of drug, and any combination of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, illicit drugs or alcohol can be dangerous. The PHA strongly recommends that you do not take any drug unless it has been prescribed to you by a medical professional and in accordance with your prescription. Stephanie Hanlon, Joint Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol at the PHA, said: “We know that some people

St Brigid’s Primary School in Downpatrick got into the festive spirit by taking part in the Daily Mile Santa Run, complete with Christmas jumpers. All schools in Northern Ireland were encouraged to take part in The Daily Mile Santa Run on Friday 6 th December. The Daily Mile can be done alongside the Active School Travel (AST) programme which is funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and Department for Infrastructure, and delivered by Sustrans. Dr Hannah McCourt, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Manager with the PHA, said: “St Brigid’s Primary School really went all out for their

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging people who fall into an ‘at risk’ group to take up the offer of the winter vaccinations. All individuals in clinical risk groups who are aged from six months to 65 years, as well as those aged 65 years and older, are advised to receive the seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines. If you are ‘at risk’, either due to older age, a health condition, medical treatment or pregnancy, you are at increased chance of becoming seriously unwell if you contract flu or COVID-19. These viruses tend to circulate at higher levels during the winter months. Vaccines are

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding all women who could become pregnant and women who are already pregnant about the importance of taking a folic acid supplement before conception and up until the 12 th week of pregnancy. The reminder comes after the Department of Health introduced legislation that will see folic acid added to non-wholemeal flour in Northern Ireland in order to help protect newborn babies from serious brain and spine problems. The new measures will come into effect from 2026, to allow businesses to prepare for the change. Dr Hannah McCourt, Health and Social Wellbeing

Belfast City Airport has become the latest organisation to join the Public Health Agency’s (PHA) Breastfeeding Welcome Here scheme – a programme that aims to increase the number of premises which actively show support to breastfeeding mums. This new membership represents a huge support network to breastfeeding mums visiting the airport and becomes part of over 900 businesses, local government facilities and community organisations who have joined Breastfeeding Welcome Here. In joining the scheme, Belfast City Airport has pledged that: breastfeeding is welcome across all areas of its premises