NEWS

People with time to spare and a passion for helping others are being invited to volunteer in a new role designed to make visits to Antrim Area Hospital’s Emergency Department a little less daunting. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is recruiting Emergency Department Companion Volunteers to provide comfort, reassurance and practical support to patients and their families while they wait for assessment or treatment. The initiative aims to improve the experience of peop

Nerell Browne and Emily Morgan A charity-funded support programme is helping the Northern Health and Social Care Trust retain more newly qualified nurses as they make the often-challenging transition into frontline healthcare roles. Funded through the Trust’s Charitable Trust Funds, the initiative has improved support for newly registered nurses working across Medicine and Emergency Medicine services, with the Trust reporting better retention rates and increased confidence am

Northern Ireland dentists working in General Dental Services (GDS) saw their average taxable income rise by almost 14% during 2024/25, according to newly published official figures. The latest estimates show the average taxable income for self-employed NHS dentists increased from £77,000 in 2023/24 to £87,600 in 2024/25 — a statistically significant increase of 13.7%. The figures, published by NHS England, provide an insight into the earnings and business costs of self-employ

Thomas Haighton, manager of Hawthorns Adult Centre in Carrickfergus, pictured with service users Julia, Lauren and Roy who between them have accumulated almost 150 years of attendance at the centre. Five decades of friendship, opportunity and inclusion were celebrated this week as Hawthorns Adult Centre in Carrickfergus marked its 50th anniversary with service users, families and staff reflecting on a remarkable journey. The centre, which first opened in July 1976, has suppor

A new once-daily tablet that could improve the lives of people living with a serious inherited heart condition is being considered for use in Northern Ireland after receiving approval for NHS patients in England. Aficamten, marketed as MYQORZO, has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and simultaneously recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic c

Inset: Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Northern Ireland shoppers could soon see fewer multibuy offers on unhealthy food and drinks under proposals aimed at tackling the region’s growing obesity problem. The Department of Health (DoH) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have launched a public consultation on introducing new restrictions on the promotion and placement of foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS), bringing Northern Ireland into line with measures already in place el

Thousands of young people across Northern Ireland are being urged to book a free MenB vaccination from this week, as the Public Health Agency (PHA) launches a programme aimed at protecting those most at risk before they start university or residential college this autumn. The vaccination programme opens on Thursday 31 July and will be available through GP practices and participating community pharmacies. Health officials say the vaccine could help prevent life-threatening men

Inset: North Antrim MP Jim Allister Northern Ireland should introduce its own university training programme for dental hygienists and therapists to help ease pressures on dental services, according to North Antrim MP Jim Allister. The Traditional Unionist Voice leader has written to Health Minister Mike Nesbitt calling for the creation of an undergraduate Dental Hygiene and Therapy degree, arguing that the absence of any local training route is contributing to workforce short

Dr Denis Martin Hopkins Tributes have been paid following the death of former Ballymena GP Dr Denis Martin Hopkins, who cared for generations of local families during a long medical career in the town. Dr Hopkins, who died peacefully at his home in Sheepshill, Ballymena, on Monday (27 July), was widely known and respected within the local community, having practised medicine alongside his father before continuing his work from Ballymena Health Centre. A familiar figure in loc

A former healthcare assistant who secretly photographed and filmed vulnerable dementia patients before sharing the images with degrading commentary on social media has been sentenced in what police have described as the first prosecution of its kind in Northern Ireland. Twenty-eight-year-old Ciara Corvan, from Armagh, appeared before Craigavon Crown Court today, where she was sentenced to a two-year probation order and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service after

Dr Amrita Gurung (second from right) pictured with patients and a colleague at the Khunde Endoscopy Camp in Nepal. A gastroenterology specialist from Causeway Hospital has returned from a volunteer medical mission in rural Nepal after helping diagnose three patients with early-stage cancers during a life-saving stomach cancer screening programme. Dr Amrita Gurung travelled to the Khumbu region of Nepal, home to Mount Everest, where she joined an international team providing v

Katie McKay, from Rathkenny, outside Ballymena, who shares her experience with thyroid cancer. A routine appointment for blood tests turned into a life-changing cancer diagnosis for a woman from Rathkenny – and she is now urging others not to ignore unexpected changes or delay getting them checked. Ahead of World Head and Neck Cancer Day on Sunday, July 27, Katie McKay has shared her experience after a nurse spotted a lump on her neck during a visit to her GP surgery, despite

A former Salvation Army hall in Coleraine could be set for a transformation with plans lodged for a proposed urgent care health centre Plans have been submitted to transform a former Salvation Army hall in Coleraine into a private urgent healthcare centre offering walk-in medical appointments as an alternative to NHS services. The application, lodged with Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, seeks permission to convert the former Salvation Army building at 152 Ballycastl

Northern Ireland is set to introduce new measures to encourage and support more mothers to breastfeed after the Department of Health launched a three-year action plan aimed at tackling some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the UK. The Breastfeeding Action Plan 2026–2029, unveiled by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt at the annual Breastival #MorethanMilk event at Stormont on Tuesday, sets out a programme of work designed to improve support for families, reduce health inequalit

Air Ambulance Northern Ireland is preparing to launch its first charity-owned helicopter later this summer, marking a major milestone as the life-saving service celebrates nine years of emergency medical care across the region. The aircraft, due to enter service in late summer 2026, will replace the current leased model and is expected to strengthen the long-term resilience of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), which is delivered in partnership with the Northern

A major independent review has concluded that Northern Ireland should press ahead with plans to bring its pathology services under a single regional structure, with Health Minister Mike Nesbitt welcoming the findings as support for an ongoing transformation of diagnostic services. The review, led by Lord Carter of Coles, says pathology services across the UK have already demonstrated the benefits of greater integration and modernisation, and argues that the priority is now to

The array of solar panels positioned on the roof of Causeway Hospital in Coleraine Causeway Hospital has saved almost £142,000 on electricity costs in the first year since installing Northern Ireland’s largest solar roof on a Health and Social Care building, according to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. The hospital’s 2,300 rooftop solar panels generated enough renewable electricity during 2025-26 to offset electricity costs by around £141,700, while also preventing

Jane Martin (centre) from Mencap presents the Employer of the Month award to Ann O’Neill (left) and Linda Saunders (right) from the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. A team at Causeway Hospital has been recognised with a national award after creating a workplace where people with learning disabilities are supported to build confidence, develop new skills and secure meaningful long-term employment. The hospital’s Corporate Support Services team has been named Mencap’s Emp

Carnlough Heritage Hub, County Antrim A drop-in event was held on Monday evening (July 6) at the Heritage Hub in Carnlough Town Hall to gather the views of the community on healthcare provision in the coastal area. The event was organised by Rural Community Network to gather residents’ views on primary and community healthcare services locally. Rural Community Network says it wants to hear opinions on “what is working and what can be improved locally”, with feedback helping t

Most recent participants and course leaders from the Medical Administration Academy in Mid & East Antrim Area People across Mid and East Antrim looking for a career in healthcare administration are being encouraged to register their interest for the next Medical Administration Academy after the latest programme helped participants build the skills needed to work in local GP practices. The eight-week academy, delivered by the Northern GP Federation Support Unit (NFSU) in partn