Today (Monday 20 September) marks the start of Organ Donation Week, a national celebration of organ and tissue donation and transplantation which saves and transforms hundreds of lives each year. We are delighted to be able to launch the week with news that the Northern Ireland Assembly has agreed to the Second Stage of the Organ and Tissue Donation (Deemed Consent) Bill. This gives great focus to the aim of Organ Donation Week in encouraging conversations across generations to get everyone talking about organ donation, and to inspire new registrations to the Organ Donor Register. Last year in

The Departments of Education and Health have agreed that, from today, the Public Health Agency’s (PHA) Contact Tracing Service (CTS) will be the lead body responsible for contact tracing of positive cases within a school setting. This approach will replace the current school-led process to identify close contacts of COVID-19 cases with a more targeted PHA-led approach, with support from school leaders in certain circumstances. The aim of this change is to reduce the potential for large numbers of pupils being required to self-isolate and reduce the amount of time spent by schools on contact

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