Top Tips for Parents - Your Guide to Positive Parenting Cantonese (PDF 2.3MB)

Cantonese Translation

Young and Old - Teacher's Guide: Promoting a Positive Attitude to Ageing and Older People

Young and Old has been specifically designed for use in the context of the new Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum. It covers seven different themes on ageing and older people at each of the four levels in primary school and includes different strategies for active learning which are used to explore facts, figures, and attitudes. There are also exercises designed to stimulate classroom discussion and activities to encourage contact and communication between children and older people Download the Report here

In Our Own Words: Report of the Consultation Process on the National Positive Ageing Strategy

In Our Own Words: Report of the Consultation Process on the National Positive Ageing Strategy If you wish to receive this document in an alternative format, please email positiveageing@health.gov.ie or telephone 01-635 3184

National Positive Ageing Strategy

The Programme for Government committed to completing and implementing the National Positive Ageing Strategy so that older people are recognised, supported and enabled to live independent full lives. This Strategy, which was published in April 2013, is a new departure in policy making for older people given its focus on the broader determinants of health. It is the blueprint for age related policy and service delivery in Ireland, outlining a vision for positive ageing and older people, the national goals and objectives required to achieve this vision and a suite of priority areas for action that are based on the broader determinants of health. Therefore, a whole of Government and whole of society approach will be required to implement the National Positive Ageing Strategy and to address these priority action areas. Click here to download PDF 2.49MB  

TB Factsheet

What is TB (tuberculosis)? TB is a serious but curable infectious disease. It usually affects the lungs but it can affect other parts of the body. What are the symptoms? Any of the following symptoms may occur: . Cough . Phlegm . High temperature . Sweating at night . Weight loss . Fatigue / general tiredness . Swollen glands If you are concerned that you might have TB, or develop any of these symptoms, please visit your family doctor for advice. How do you catch TB? It is usually spread through the air from someone with the infectious type of TB. The germ gets into the air when that person coughs, sneezes or spits. Who can get TB? Anyone can get TB but it is difficult to catch. It mainly depends on the amount of time that is spent in contact with someone with infectious TB. What if I have been in close contact with someone with infectious TB? If you are identified as a contact at risk from TB then you will be invited for screening. Initial screening consists of a skin test to determine if your immune system recognises TB. The skin test is called the Mantoux test, the result of which needs to be read 48 hours later. People who have a positive skin test and / or evidence of TB infection found on chest X-ray, or who are unwell will be investigated further by a specialist doctor and may be treated with a course of anti-TB medication. How is TB treated? TB is curable. Treatment consists of a long course of different types of specialist antibiotics. What happens next? If you have been identified as a close contact of the case, you will be invited for screening by the accompanying letter. Otherwise, you will have received a general information letter, and have not been identified as requiring screening at this time.

Hepatitis C positive, PCR positive: Clinician results factsheet

Factsheet for clinicians with patients who are antibody positive, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive, and therefore have chronic hepatitis C infection.

Smoking causes mouth cancer, PHA warns

Mouth cancer awareness week begins on the 13 - 20 November. With this in mind the Public Health Agency is urging everyone to be aware of the signs and symptoms of mouth cancer and is encouraging all smokers thinking about stopping smoking to make the decision to stop today.In Northern Ireland 195 people were diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2009. The disease causes one death every five hours in the UK and yet it is one of the least well-known cancers. Smoking and excess alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing mouth cancer, which can occur in or on any part of the mouth, tongue, lips, neck and throat. In its very early stages, mouth cancer can be easy to ignore. Most people with mouth cancer have no early symptoms at all, but others may have:an ulcer in the mouth or on the lip that won't heal; constant pain or soreness; red or white patches in the mouth;a lump on the lip, tongue or in the neck; bad breath; unexplained bleeding in the mouth; numbness in the mouth; loose teeth.The earlier the disease is caught, the better. Survival rates rise to 90 per cent if the cancer is treated before it has spread. Gerry Bleakney, Head of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement, PHA, said: "Certain lifestyle choices can increase an individual's risk of developing mouth cancer. Tobacco is considered to be the main cause of mouth cancer, with three in four cases being linked to smoking. Excess alcohol consumption is also a known factor, with those who both smoke and drink excessively being up 30 times more likely to be at risk. "Mouth cancer and the treatment required can be traumatic for the patient as this may affect functions such as speech, chewing and swallowing. The positive news is that stopping smoking is associated with a rapid reduction in the risk of oral cancers. Regular trips to the dentist are also a must because half of all mouth cancer cases are detected by dentists."I would encourage everyone who is thinking about quitting to log on to our Want 2 Stop website www.want2stop.info and order a 'Quit Kit' free of charge. Alternatively contact the Smokers' Helpline on 0808 812 8008. "Health Minister Edwin Poots said: "Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in Northern Ireland.It is a major risk factor for oral cancer, as well as coronary heart disease, strokes and other diseases of the circulatory system. Approximately 2,300 people die each year in Northern Ireland from smoking related illnesses. Quitting smoking is the single most effective step people can take to improve their long term health."A key objective of the Department's new ten-year tobacco control strategy, due to be published next month,is to prevent people from starting to smoke. Funding provided by the Department for smoking cessation services has resulted in around 650 such services being made available in Northern Ireland in a range of settings, including pharmacies, GP surgeries and community centres. These services have helped almost 80,000 smokers to set a quit date between 2008/09 and 2010/11."The Minister added: "It is also important for people to look after their oral health by regularly attending the dentist for check-ups, as any problems can be picked up and treated at an early stage."

A Comparative Study of Healthcare Professionals' Attitudes towards Clients with Dual Diagnosis.

The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes of Healthcare Professionals who work in the Substance Misuse Services compared to Healthcare Professionals who work in the Acute Mental Health Services towards clients with a dual diagnosis. A Likert type questionnaire was carried out between the two services, (n=45) from Substance Misuse and (n+54) from Mental Health Services of the multidiscipline teams. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the attitudes of the Healthcare Professionals in both Services. The Healthcare Professionals from the Substance Misuse Services displayed a more positive attitude towards clients with duel diagnosis, than professionals from the Acute Mental Health Services. These negative attitudes may affect the quality of care given to clients with a dual diagnosis. Healthcare Professionals need more knowledge and understanding about effective treatment for this client group. It is important that through collaboration from both services the care and treatment for clients with a dual diagnosis can be at optimal level.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Anti Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools - Appendix 2 Practical tips for building a positive school culture and climate

Anti Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools - Appendix 2 Practical tips for building a positive school culture and climate. Provided by the Department of Education and Skills, Ireland.

This white line will affect the way you see this one

This poster raises awareness about the danger of taking drugs and driving. The message on the poster is 'Drugs affect your driving - Never take drugs and drive.' It also provides contact details for the National Drugs Helpline. Tel: 0800 776600.

Guidelines for the Management of HIV Positive Pregnant Women in Northern Ireland

This guidance aims to support health care staff to provide the optimum care for HIV positive women during pregnancy and delivery within Northern Ireland.

Promoting positive mental health at work: a guide for employers

This booklet is one in a series aimed at promoting health in the workplace. It outlines to employers the importance of employees' mental health, good practice to support positive mental health at work, the legal requirements with regard to working environments and mental health, and key steps for action.�

Hepatitis C positive, PCR positive: Clinician results factsheet

Factsheet for clinicians with patients who are antibody positive, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive, and therefore have chronic hepatitis C infection.

10,000 Voices annual report

I am pleased to present the first annual report of the'10,000 Voices' initiative. This initiative has been commissioned and funded by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and the Public Health Agency (PHA), to introduce a more patient focused approach to shaping the way services are delivered and commissioned. It provides a mechanism for patients not only to share their experience of the health services, both positive and negative, but also to affect and inform change.