Category: News

The Department of Health is reminding everyone who is eligible that it’s not too late to get your winter flu vaccination.

From today (15 January 2025) the influenza vaccination programme will also offer free vaccinations to anyone aged 50-64 years of age by 31 March 2025.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said: “The health service is still being impacted by a severe flu season and increasing uptake amongst all eligible groups will help to alleviate the pressure on our staff and ensure we can treat the those who are sickest, in addition to helping to protect individuals.

I would again urge all who are eligible to take up the offer of vaccination as soon as possible, particularly those aged 65 years or older and those in a clinical at risk group.”

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said: “Vaccination remains the best form of defence against severe illness from influenza for those in clinical risk groups, and those who are at highest risk of more severe illness and hospitalisation. Protection of these groups remains the priority for the programme.

“If you are in one of the higher risk groups and have not yet had your vaccine, please arrange to get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect yourself.”

Rachel Spiers, Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager at the PHA, said: “Vaccination lowers your chances of having serious complications or dying from winter viruses. This is especially true for people who are at high risk of complications. If you are eligible you can get vaccinated through participating GP practices, community pharmacy, or HSC Trust vaccination clinics. The sooner you do this, the sooner you will help protect yourself.”

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI said: “With the expansion of this service to include those in the 50-64 age bracket, community pharmacy teams continue to play an important role in vaccinating the public. I would invite those eligible to contact their local participating pharmacy and get the flu vaccine.

By doing so they will protect themselves, those around them and help to reduce pressures across the health service.”

The influenza vaccination is available via community pharmacies and HSC Trust vaccination clinics and GPs.  Patients should check with their own practices if they are offering the service.

A list of HSC Trust vaccination clinics and participating community pharmacies is available on the NI Direct website at: https://vaccinations.covid-19.hscni.net/location-search

Notes to Editors:

Those eligible for HSC influenza vaccination programme are:

• All adults aged 50 or over on 31 March 2025
• Persons aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as laid out in the Immunisation Green Book influenza chapter (Green Book).
• Pregnant women.
• Those in long-stay residential care homes.
• All health and social care workers.
• All preschool children aged two to four years on 1 September 2024.
• All primary and secondary school children (up to and including year 12).
• Carers.
• Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals.
• High risk poultry and avian animal health workers.

A delegation has travelled to London to seek UK Government NIO Minister Fleur Anderson MP’s support for vital community pharmacy services that are in financial crisis and at risk of collapse in Northern Ireland.

Representatives from Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI), including local pharmacy owners were led by Ulster Unionist peer Lord Rogan as they met the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to seek stabilisation of the community pharmacy network.

The Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI), Gerard Greene said:
“Community pharmacies are under mounting financial pressures. Due to long-term underfunding and increasing costs, the community pharmacy financial model is stretched to breaking point. Pharmacy owners in Northern Ireland are battling to keep the doors open so they can continue delivering vital, local healthcare services. With many pharmacy owners personally propping up the national health service it is utterly unsustainable and unjust.

“We’ve made the trip to London to take community pharmacies’ desperate plea to the government’s Northern Ireland Minister who listened to the concerns raised. During the meeting, we also raised the budget implications relating to the UK-wide National Insurance Contribution increase, which will add further financial pressure to already stretched pharmacies.“

Community pharmacists are increasingly playing a greater role in health transformation with the delivery of an expanded range of clinical services. At a time when this clinical expertise and accessibility is widely recognised as a key asset in alleviating pressures on other primary care services, we should be looking at ways to further harness this potential rather than place the network into further financial peril.

Community Pharmacists, General Practitioners, Dentists and Optometrists must be protected from the UK Government National Insurance Contribution increases to continue delivering primary care services in the communities they serve, the four bodies representing Family Practitioner Services in Northern Ireland have said.

In a joint letter to the Health Minister, NHS medical, pharmacy, dental and optometry providers have called on the Northern Ireland Executive to make the case to the UK Government for the protection of these vital services from increases in National Insurance Contributions, which risk the collapse of primary care in Northern Ireland.
Many of these providers, commissioned to deliver NHS primary care services in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health, operate as small businesses and are subject to this UK Government policy change.

In a joint statement from the four bodies, Community Pharmacy NI, the British Medical Association (NI), British Dental Association and Optometry NI said:
“Medical, pharmacy, dental and optometry providers are the front door to the health service for families across Northern Ireland and vital for the transformation of care.

“Yet these services are under extreme financial pressure, resulting in the closure of general practices and community pharmacies, the most rapid shrinkage of NHS Dentistry anywhere in the UK and reduced access to NHS optometry.

“Without adequate protection from UK Government policy changes, the precarious position of Family Practitioner Services in Northern Ireland will deteriorate further.
“It is now an urgent imperative for the Northern Ireland Executive to make the case to the UK Government for the protection of primary care or risk the collapse of these vital services in communities across Northern Ireland.”

Community pharmacies across Northern Ireland are offering advice and support on a wide range of winter illnesses to help us stay well during the colder months.

The Living Well initiative is offered in over 500 pharmacies across Northern Ireland and provides information and advice on public health issues. It is delivered in partnership with the Public Health Agency (PHA), Community Pharmacy NI (CPNI), and the Department of Health (DoH).

The latest Living Well campaign highlights actions you can take to protect your health over the winter months and the support available to you through your community pharmacy. The ‘Stay Well this Winter’ campaign is running in Living Well community pharmacies during December 2024 and January 2025.

Andrew Cheung, Principal Pharmaceutical Officer (Public Health) at the PHA, said: “Winter conditions can be seriously bad for our health, particularly for the more vulnerable members of our community. The ‘Stay Well’ campaign begins on the 1st December, and your pharmacist can provide advice on the steps you can take to prepare for the winter period, such as getting the free flu and COVID-19 vaccines if eligible, ordering repeat prescriptions ahead of the Christmas and New Year period, as well as providing advice on keeping warm and active.”

This campaign aims to help the public prepare for the winter months by encouraging them to plan ahead and take positive steps towards better health by advising them on how to care for themselves, and to visit their pharmacy for advice if needed.

Joanne McMullan, Community Pharmacist at Portaferry Pharmacy, added: “Pharmacists are well positioned in the community to offer advice and support about different health matters that may arise over the winter months. All colds and most coughs, sinusitis, earache and sore throats get better without antibiotics. You should take your pharmacist or GP’s advice and only take antibiotics when you need them. Pharmacists can recommend over-the-counter medicines for most minor illnesses, so consider speaking to a pharmacist before going to your GP.”

The following steps can help you stay well this winter;

• ‘Catch it. Bin it. Kill it’ – carry tissues and use them to catch coughs or sneezes, then bin the tissue.
• Wash your hands – regularly wash your hands throughout the day and hands should always be washed before eating or drinking and after using the toilet.
• Rest up – know when to stay home to stop the spread. If you have a high temperature stay home until you feel better or if you have diarrhoea and/or vomiting, you should stay home for at least 48 hours after the last episode.
• Speak to your pharmacist about over-the-counter remedies and remember antibiotics don’t work on viruses.
• Winter vaccines – if eligible get your COVID-19 booster, flu vaccine and RSV vaccine.
• Keeping warm over winter months can prevent colds, flu and more serious health problems. Wear warm clothes, even indoors if it is cold and heat your main living room to around 18-21ºC (64-70ºF). But it is important to make sure your heating is safe. Install a carbon monoxide alarm to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Eat well – food is a source of energy which helps to keep your body warm. Try to make sure you have hot meals and drinks regularly throughout the day.
• Keep active – regular exercise can help improve your physical and mental health, reduce the risk of falls and can be beneficial for recovery if you do get ill.
• Seek support – if you feel down and it affecting your life see www.mindingyourhead.info for advice, if you need more support make an appointment with your GP.
• Look out for others, such as older family members, friends or neighbours, who may need a bit of extra help during winter.

To learn more, pick up a free Stay Well this Winter leaflet in your local participating community pharmacy or speak to a member of the pharmacy team.

For more information on how you can look after yourself and those close to you this winter,’ see www.pha.site/Staywellthiswinter

The Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has announced a series of initiatives to protect key health and social care services during another highly challenging winter period.

The measures are detailed in a 2024/25 Winter Preparedness Plan.

They will not eliminate winter pressures on the HSC system but will help to alleviate their impact.

The Health Minister said: “There is no doubt that the Health and Social Care system is again facing a very difficult winter period. While there are ongoing pressures across the system all year, it is clear that more people become sicker, for longer, over the winter months.  This is particularly true of our older population.

“The planning process for winter gets underway in springtime, to ensure that we can mitigate, as far as possible, the additional pressures that we know we will face.  For this winter, this includes measures to keep the population well in the community, including the use of community pharmacy, and measures to protect primary care, hospital care and social care.

“We can all play our part again this winter to look after ourselves and support the health service. This can include getting vaccinated if you are eligible, taking sensible steps to stay well, and co-operating with hospital discharge processes if you or a family member are well enough to leave hospital.

“Timely hospital discharges are essential to ensure patient flow through hospitals, freeing up capacity in Emergency Departments and the Ambulance Service.”

In response to the plan, CPNI commented: “Community pharmacy is a valuable first port of call for many winter ailments and the clinical expertise of highly trained pharmacists is available on every high street, without an appointment. 

This announcement coincides with  Ask Your Pharmacist Week, an annual reminder of the value of community pharmacies in keeping people well in their own communities with Pharmacy teams now delivering the all-important flu and COVID vaccinations to keep people protected this winter.

With additional resources, community pharmacies can support patients further and help alleviate pressures on GPs and Emergency Departments. ”

The full publication can be viewed here: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/doh-winter-preparedness-plan-2024-25.PDF

Clinical Expertise close to home, with no appointment needed 

It’s Ask Your Pharmacist Week from 4-11 November and community pharmacies across Northern Ireland are using the National Pharmacy Association awareness campaign to remind people of the wealth of clinical expertise available locally without an appointment.

With difficulties accessing GP and emergency department services continuing, the role of community pharmacies has never been more important and the first port of call for many everyday health conditions could be to simply Ask Your Pharmacist.

 Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI) said,

“Patients have access to a health professional in the form of a highly trained team of clinical experts in their community pharmacy. Pharmacists train for five years, learning about the use of medicines to treat disease and diagnosing common illnesses, and they are continually developing their knowledge and skills. 

“Many everyday conditions can be treated urgently without needing to see a GP. However, very importantly, community pharmacists know how to spot the signs of serious illness, and they will refer patients to a doctor or other suitable healthcare professional if necessary.

“There have been many cases where a pharmacist has spotted signs of something which needed medical attention. In fact, there have been with numerous life-saving interventions by pharmacists across Northern Ireland with conditions such as a stroke, skin cancer and severe allergic reactions picked up and subsequently treated successfully.

“As an essential part of frontline health and social care, community pharmacists have expanded their range of services over the years to deliver support with COVID-19 and flu vaccination programmes and to provide treatments for some of the common winter illnesses.

“Under the Pharmacy First service, many pharmacies offer over the counter emergency contraception; and they can treat urinary tract and bacterial sore throat infections. Community pharmacy services like these can significantly relieve the pressure on GPs.

“Community pharmacists aim to keep people healthy and well at home for as long as possible. They live locally and they get to know entire generations of families, from the cradle to old age and they support many patients with long-term medical conditions. They are a trusted and integral part of front line services to keep people well in their local community. Ask Your Pharmacy Week provides a welcome opportunity to remind people of the clinical health expertise right on their doorstep. We would encourage people to make their local community pharmacy a natural first port of call for expert healthcare advice.”