NEWS

Free dementia support clinics are returning to branches of Nationwide Building Society in Ballymena, Derry, Newry and Bangor this December, with Dementia UK urging people to be aware of the early signs and symptoms of the condition. Hosted by the charity’s specialist Admiral Nurses, the face-to-face clinics will offer confidential, tailored advice to anyone concerned about dementia—whether for themselves or a loved one. Appointments can be booked online via the Dementia UK w

Tesco customers across Northern Ireland are being urged to help families facing hunger this winter by donating long-life essentials as part of the supermarket’s 13th annual Winter Food Collection. Running from 24–29 November in Tesco Express stores and 27–29 November in larger stores , the UK’s biggest seasonal food drive will support FareShare and the Trussell community of food banks, both of which are preparing for unprecedented levels of demand. Last year alone, generous

The Housing Executive’s Ballymena office is opening its doors to the local community this December for a special coffee morning and donation drive in support of Homelessness Awareness Week. Locals are invited to Twickenham House on Monday 1st December, from 10am to 2pm , for a warm drink, a slice of cake, and an opportunity to show support for individuals experiencing homelessness. As part of the initiative, staff will also be collecting non-perishable food items, toiletries,

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has reiterated her commitment to strengthening workplace protections for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, confirming that legislation to implement the Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Act (NI) 2022 will be introduced before the end of the current Assembly mandate. The Act, passed in 2022, requires the Department for the Economy to create regulations enabling workers affected by domestic abuse to access at least 10 days of paid “safe l

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt pictured with staff at the Paediatric Unit at Altnagelvin Area Hospital. As winter pressures begin to intensify across Northern Ireland’s health service, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has issued a clear message to parents and carers: use the right service at the right time to help ensure children receive timely, appropriate care. During a visit to the Paediatric Unit at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, the Minister met staff and young patients to observe

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has hailed a major breakthrough in reducing Northern Ireland’s endoscopy waiting lists, which have fallen to their lowest point since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Describing the development as “a very positive milestone for patients and for our Health and Social Care Service” , Mr Nesbitt credited the progress to targeted investment, enhanced regional capacity, and increased flexibility under the Elective Care Framework. He added: “Through targ

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched its annual Christmas policing operation, Operation Season’s Greetings, aimed at keeping people safe throughout the festive period and into the New Year. The initiative, unveiled on Monday 24th November, will see increased police visibility and patrols across towns and cities, with a strong focus on shopping districts, nightlife venues and public transport hubs. Both uniformed and plain-clothed officers will be deploye

As winter approaches, the Department of Health is urging the public to take simple, proactive steps to maintain their physical and mental wellbeing amid rising seasonal pressures on health and social care services. Speaking during National Self-Care Week, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt highlighted the importance of self-care and community support as temperatures fall and common winter illnesses begin to circulate. “Each of us can play our part in managing our own health and wel

Documentary participants and clinicians calling for political action to improve access to life-saving thrombectomy treatment. A Northern Ireland man’s powerful account of his father’s stroke has taken centre stage in a new documentary shown at Stormont, prompting renewed calls for political action to improve access to life-saving thrombectomy treatment. Over 40 healthcare professionals, politicians and stroke survivors from across Northern Ireland attended the screening of Th

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is now looking for new Community Health and Wellbeing Champions to join its volunteer community. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has launched a new volunteer drive, appealing to members of the public with a passion for improving health outcomes in their local communities. The Trust is now seeking Community Health and Wellbeing Champions who will work alongside staff to help share information, services and resources aimed at

HEMS pilot, consultant and paramedic on their way to an emergency mission Air Ambulance Northern Ireland has issued an urgent Christmas appeal as the charity prepares for what could be one of its busiest festive seasons yet, expecting to be tasked over 60 times this December alone. While families across Northern Ireland decorate their homes and make festive plans, the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) will continue operating every single day throughout the holidays

(L-R) Denise McVeigh from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council's Parks and Open Spaces team, PSNI Inspector Colin Ash, PCSP Chair Cllr Lauren Gray, PCSP Vice Chair Sharon Maxwell, and Local Neighbourhood PSNI Officer Julie McKeown. (Images: Steven McAuley) Women across Mid and East Antrim are being encouraged to take part in a special night-time personal safety walk in Larne this December, as part of a partnership initiative between the borough’s Policing and Community Safety

L-R Health Minister Mike Nesbitt; Dr Eddie Gibson, Consultant Radiologist & Clinical Director;  Lynne McCartney, Director of Surgery and Clinical Services (Interim). Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has officially opened a new state-of-the-art MRI scanner unit at Causeway Hospital, marking a major milestone in diagnostic services for the North Coast. The investment will significantly increase imaging capacity across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, enabling faster diagn

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging parents and guardians across Northern Ireland to ensure their children receive the seasonal flu vaccine, as the latest surveillance data shows influenza activity on the rise — with the highest positivity rate recorded in children aged 5–14. All pre-school children and those in primary school up to Year 12 are eligible for the free flu vaccine, delivered as a simple nasal spray. Dr Amanda McCullough, Specialty Registrar in Public Health

L-R Claire McNair, Ballyclare Ladies Farm Forum, Ashleigh Magee, Gillian Dawson, Suzanne Pullins, Interim Chief Executive, NHSCT, Yvonne Carson, Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager, NHSCT and Anna Simms, Ballyclare Ladies Farm Forum, More than sixty women from across rural communities gathered at Gleno Young Farmers Hall to mark the International Day of Rural Women, at an event organised by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (NHSCT) in partnership with Ballyclare Ladies

Jonny Spiers, Customer Service Agent and Airport Autism Champion alongside Christine Kearney, Director of Development at Autism NI and Niall McElkearney, Terminal Operations Manager. Belfast International Airport has been recognised for its commitment to improving accessibility for neurodiverse passengers, after receiving the prestigious Autism NI Impact Award. The accolade highlights the airport’s efforts to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for autistic and

The Mayor of Mid & East Antrim Cllr Jackson Minford joins with Women’s Aid CEO Gillian Creevy and St Colmcille’s Primary Vice Principal, Miss Catherine Stewart to launch Women’s Aid Heading For Healthy Relationships Primary School programme funded by the EVAWG Change Fund. A new preventative education initiative aimed at helping young people build healthy, respectful relationships has been launched at St Colmcille Primary School in Ballymena. The Heading For Healthy Relations

Dr Emily McIntosh, a Care of the Elderly Consultant based at the Causeway Hospital With flu-related hospital attendances already rising, the Northern Health and Social Care Trust is calling on the public to take simple steps to protect themselves and help reduce growing pressure on local health services this winter. Dr Emily McIntosh, a Care of the Elderly Consultant at Causeway Hospital , said the Trust is seeing a concerning spike in flu cases far earlier in the season. “We

A County Antrim engineering company has been fined £10,000 after a worker suffered severe foot injuries during an unsafe lifting operation at its Coleraine premises. Maine Surface Finishing Ltd was sentenced today at Laganside Crown Court, Belfast, after earlier pleading guilty to a single health and safety offence following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI). The court heard that the incident took place on 29 August 2023, when an

Amy Symington As the world marks World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) next week, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is shining a light on the very real and often devastating consequences of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). At the centre of this year’s message is the powerful experience of 21-year-old Portstewart woman Amy Symington , whose life was upended when a seemingly minor hip pain evolved into a life-threatening infection resistant to common antibiotics. For