National Alcohol Policy Ireland

The National Alcohol Policy is directed at reducing the prevalence of alcohol-related problems through an emphasis on moderation in alcohol consumption. The importance of a comprehensive alcohol policy was highlighted when Ireland endorsed the European Charter on Alcohol in December 1995 along with 48 other Member States of the WHO European Region. The alcohol-related problems are multidimensional, therefore the solutions most be multi-sectoral. This means that commitment to the National Alcohol Policy must be on the agenda of policy makers in all sectors and at all levels. An Alcohol Policy requires both environmental and individual strategies. There is strong evidence that policies which influence access to alcohol, control pricing through taxation and other public health measures, can have a positive impact on curtailing the health and social burden resulting from drinking (Edwards et al. 1994). However, a key to the effectiveness of such strategies is public support, enforcement and maintenance of the policies. In examining the rationale for a National Alcohol Policy a number of elements have been identified. Research is urgently required to identify attitudes and patterns of alcohol consumption across the population and within sub-groups of the population. Based on sound research, a sensible drinking message of Less is Better should form an educational empowerment programme with regional and local initiatives as a required and integral part of such a campaign. A health education programme in all schools should be part of the core curriculum. The availability and effectiveness of treatment services need to be established. Action to contain the availability of alcohol could be achieved by reducing the number of special exemptions for longer opening hours and controlling access to underage drinking by ID schemes nation-wide. The enforcement of drink driving legislation including random breath testing needs to be continued to reduce alcohol-related traffic accidents. All levels of the Drinks Industry should recognise that people have the right to be safeguarded from pressures to drink. Finally, a National Alcohol Policy could be co-ordinated by a wider National Substance Use Surveillance Unit.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of unusual nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli isolated from Latin America: report from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (1997-2002)

The antimicrobial susceptibility of 176 unusual non-fermentative gram-negative bacilli (NF-GNB) collected from Latin America region through the SENTRY Program between 1997 and 2002 was evaluated by broth microdilution according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) recommendations. Nearly 74% of the NF-BGN belonged to the following genera/species: Burkholderia spp. (83), Achromobacter spp. (25), Ralstonia pickettii (16), Alcaligenes spp. (12), and Cryseobacterium spp. (12). Generally, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (MIC50, < 0.5 µg/ml) was the most potent drug followed by levofloxacin (MIC50, 0.5 µg/ml), and gatifloxacin (MIC50, 1 µg/ml). The highest susceptibility rates were observed for levofloxacin (78.3%), gatifloxacin (75.6%), and meropenem (72.6%). Ceftazidime (MIC50, 4 µg/ml; 83.1% susceptible) was the most active beta-lactam against B. cepacia. Against Achromobacter spp. isolates, meropenem (MIC50, 0.25 µg/ml; 88% susceptible) was more active than imipenem (MIC50, 2 µg/ml). Cefepime (MIC50, 2 µg/ml; 81.3% susceptible), and imipenem (MIC50, 2 µg/ml; 81.3% susceptible) were more active than ceftazidime (MIC50, >16 µg/ml; 18.8% susceptible) and meropenem (MIC50, 8 µg/ml; 50% susceptible) against Ralstonia pickettii. Since selection of the most appropriate antimicrobial agents for testing and reporting has not been established by the NCCLS for many of NF-GNB species, results from large multicenter studies may help to guide the best empiric therapy.

C. difficile surveillance quarterly report: January-March 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on C. difficile in Northern Ireland, and includes key points, a comprehensive�overview of all C. diff infections, rates, trends, age-specific information�and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

S. aureus bacteraemia surveillance quarterly report: January-March 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on�S. aureus�in Northern Ireland, including overall infection�figures as well as those specific to MRSA and MSSA. The report highlights key points, rates, trends and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

C. difficle surveillance quarterly report: April - June 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on C. difficile in Northern Ireland, and includes key points, a comprehensive�overview of all C. diff infections, rates, trends, age-specific information�and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

S.aureus bacteraemia surveillance quarterly report

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on�S. aureus�in Northern Ireland, including overall infection�figures as well as those specific to MRSA and MSSA. The report highlights key points, rates, trends and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland

Perinatal Mortality 2007

This report is the fifth annual perinatal mortality surveillance report conducted under the auspices of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH). CEMACH was established in 2003 as the successor organisation to two previous national confidential enquiries, the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD) and the Confidential Enquiry into Stillbirths and Deaths in Infancy (CESDI). The programme of national confidential enquiries was started by CEMD in 1952 and by CESDI from 1992. Since its inception in 2003, CEMACH has successfully extended its remit to encompass a new national enquiry into child health and research on a wide range of relevant topics that include morbidity as well as mortality.

Diabetes in pregnancy: are we providing the best care?

This third and final report of the CEMACH national diabetes programme comes at an important time in the national drive to improve services for women with diabetes in pregnancy. The National Service Framework (NSF) for Diabetes requires the NHS to develop, implement and monitor policies that seek to empower and support women with diabetes to optimise the outcomes of their pregnancy. The CEMACH report shows that, whilst progress has been made in improving services for women with diabetes and their babies, there is much still to be done to meet the standards recommended by the NSF. Too many women continue to be poorly prepared for pregnancy in the critical areas of glycaemic control and folic acid supplementation. The report underlines the need for an increased focus on diabetes preconception care services and the development of strategies to educate women with diabetes of childbearing age. The growing proportion of women with type 2 diabetes during pregnancy, many of whom are from minority ethnic groups, presents an additional challenge for health services in developing responsive and accessible services.This CEMACH report has identifi ed several areas of good clinical practice during pregnancy in women with pre-existing diabetes. However, there continue to be areas where there is room for improvement, including antenatal fetal surveillance, glycaemic control during labour and delivery and postnatal diabetes care. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently in the fi nal stages of development of its new guideline for the management of diabetes in pregnancy. This guideline, when taken together with the CEMACH report, will provide local health services with an unprecedented wealth of material on which to base their development of improved services for women with diabetes in pregnancy.��

Surveillance of influenza in Northern Ireland 2010-11

This report describes influenza activity in Northern Ireland in the 2010-11 winter flu season period.

Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Northern Ireland: Annual surveillance report 2008

This report presents the epidemiological data for tuberculosis cases reported in Northern Ireland from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008.

C. difficile surveillance quarterly report: July - September 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on C. difficile in Northern Ireland, and includes key points, a comprehensive�overview of all C. diff infections, rates, trends, age-specific information�and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

S.aureus bacteraemia surveillance quarterly report: July - September 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on�S. aureus�in Northern Ireland, including overall infection�figures as well as those specific to MRSA and MSSA. The report highlights key points, rates, trends and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland

C. difficile surveillance quarterly report: October - December 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on C. difficile in Northern Ireland, and includes key points, a comprehensive�overview of all C. diff infections, rates, trends, age-specific information�and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland.

HIV and STI surveillance in Northern Ireland 2011: An analysis of data for the calendar year 2010

This annual analysis of data provides an overview of HIV and STI epidemiology in Northern Ireland for the calendar year 2010. Information from a variety of sources is collated and analysed in detail, while any evident trends over time are highlighted�with�graphs and tables. As well as a general summary of STI diagnoses and a number of overall conclusions, the report looks specifically at each of the following STIs: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, genital warts, syphilis, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) and HIV.

S.aureus bacteraemia surveillance quarterly report: October - December 2011

This quarterly report provides epidemiological data on�S. aureus�in Northern Ireland, including overall infection�figures as well as those specific to MRSA and MSSA. The report highlights key points, rates, trends and statistical process control charts. The report also provides information on surveillance methods and data for each hospital and Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland