Your City Council
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Health and well - being is largely determined by the social, economic, physical and cultural environment. Health policy has historically tended to concentrate on the treatment of ill health rather than on its prevention.
Lisburn City Council Environmental Health Officers are actively addressing this strategy through its core functions, activities, programmes and initiatives. This includes partnership working amongst departments, public bodies, local communities, voluntary bodies and neighbouring Councils.
PARTNERSHIPS
Partnership working is vital in developing and delivering health promotion initiatives as the health of the public is influenced by so many factors that it can prove difficult for one agency to tackle all of the issues on its own.
As a service we often work closely with other departments within the council and with external organisations and agencies sharing information and skills by the creation of invaluable partnerships. Such organisations/agencies include South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Food Standards Agency (FSA),Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland, local businesses, Environment and Heritage Service, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Health Promotion Agency, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Eastern Health and Social Services Board.
Where possible we provide information through newspapers, produce leaflets, participate in exhibitions, talk to groups and respond to individual requests.
Currently we are actively involved in Lisburn Home Accident Prevention Group with a number of statutory and voluntary organisations promoting various ways to reduce accidental deaths and injuries in the home.
Working as part of Lisburn Adults At Risk Forum we have developed partnership approaches to promote and protect the physical and mental health of vulnerable and disadvantaged adults in Lisburn City Council area.
INITIATIVES
Workplace Health Initiative
The Workplace Health Initiative is an innovative project that aims to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) develop policies and programs that will promote the health and wellbeing of their employees.
Lisburn City Council’s Workplace Health Coordinator (Alison Collins, Environmental Health Officer) is actively involved in delivering the initiative to all interested businesses within the Council area. A healthy Workplace guide is provided to participating businesses along with support and guidance to enable them to assess their organisational and employee needs and to develop and implement a health action plan. The successful businesses will receive a certificate of excellence in the promotion of health and wellbeing issues within their organisation.
This proactive initiative will be addressing health and wellbeing issues which will include healthy eating, physical activity, smoking, alcohol & substance abuse, cancers, musculoskeletal disorder, stress, mental health, childcare and health & safety issues.
Further details can be found on the Work Well Initiative page of the website.
Smoking
Lisburn City Council has launched its ‘Break Free’ campaign in the run up to ‘No Smoking Day’ on Wednesday 10th March 2010.
As part of the launch, Lisburn City Council’s Environmental Health Unit held an awareness raising event, at the Lisburn campus of the South Eastern Regional College. Council Environmental Health and Tobacco Control Officers, experts from the Ulster Cancer Foundation and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, provided expert advice and information to students. A local Smoking Cessation Nurse was also on hand to give advice to students.
One of the highlights at the event was ‘April’, the ‘face’ of age progression software that enabled students to see what they would look like at a maximum of 72 years of age if they continued to smoke. This proved to be a shocking insight for students into how smoking can damage not only your health but also your appearance.
A Skin Scanner also allowed students to clearly view the damage smoking had on their skin.
Councillor Betty Campbell, Chairman of the Council’s Environmental Services Committee, said: “Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in Northern Ireland. It is a major risk factor for 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.”
“As a major health concern smoking needs to be addressed amongst our young people, through the provision of information and continued support. This event proved to be very successful with many students availing of the information andadvice provided to help them to take the first step to break free from smoking. I would urge the young people to take the advice seriously,” she concluded.
At the event, the Smoking Cessation Nurse used carbon monoxide devices to check levels of carbon monoxide exhaled, as it forms up to 5% of tobacco smoke. Carbon monoxide is dangerous as it sticks to red blood cells in place of oxygen in the body, depriving the brain, organs and muscles of essential oxygen. Smokers can have more than ten times the level of carbon monoxide in their blood compared to non-smokers.
Councillor Betty Campbell added: “Research has shown that over two thirds of smokers would like to stop. No Smoking Day provides an excellent opportunity for them to do that. By using the support available on No Smoking Day and throughout the year smokers can significantly increase their chances of success and break from the habit of smoking.
“I wish all smokers every success in their efforts to stop smoking and advise them to use the smoking cessation services in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust as this support is invaluable.”
For further information or advice contact Lisburn City Council’s Environmental Health Service on 028 9250 9394 or email:ehealth@lisburn.gov.uk or visit lisburncity.gov.uk.
Underage Tobacco Sales
Our education programme has been supported by active enforcement of underage tobacco sales legislation, communicating and educating all the retailers in the City Council area as to their responsibilities. This will be reinforced again in 2009 following the change in legislation making it illegal to sell cigarettes to children under 18. Further details are available by clicking here.
Noise Action Week
Annually we take part in Noise Action Week encouraging people to be mindful of noise. At this year’s promotional display in Bow Street Mall, Lisburn Environmental Health Unit launched its new ‘Stop the Noise’ leaflet, packed full of useful advice and tips on reducing noise, as well as information on how to manage a noise nuisance.
Child Accident Prevention Week
We actively support Child Safety Week to reduce the risks to children so that children and young people can enjoy safer, healthier, and more active lives. To promote Child Safety Week (23 -29 June 2008) the Council’s Environmental Health Unit provided information packs to childcare facilities in the local area. This included safety tips for parents and carers of babies and young children to help them learn more about safety and prevent an accident happening to a child or a young person.
Food Safety Week
As part of the annual National Food Safety Week, the Environmental Health Unit in partnership with the Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland, and Safe Food Ireland organise campaigns highlighting the importance of food safety and the basic principles of food hygiene.
As part of this year’s National Food Safety Week a survey carried out by the Council’s Environmental Health Unit in conjunction with the above agencies revealed that almost one in four (23%) people in the Lisburn area risk food poisoning when doing their grocery shopping.
The Environmental Health Unit, FSANI and Safe food communicated two simple messages to shoppers, firstly, pack raw foods separately and, secondly, try to get home as soon as possible after food shopping to get chilled and frozen foods back into the fridge or freezer.
Providing Safe Food in Places of Worship and Community Groups
The Environmental Health Unit is working in partnership with local Churches and Community Group leaders to ensure that food is prepared safely by these organisations.
Food hygiene instruction training is provided for the Volunteers within these organisations, raising their awareness of food hygiene and safety.
Cook It Programme
‘Cook it’’ is a community based nutrition education programme targeted at lower income groups facilitated regionally by the Health Promotion Agency. It aims to provide practical experience of food preparation, with an opportunity to sample the completed dishes, thereby removing the financial risk involved in experimenting with new dishes within restricted resources.
The Environmental Health Unit regularly attend ‘Cook it!’ interventions providing information and advice to community workers in the form of leaflets ranging from food safety to nutrition and home safety.
BEESAFE
Nearly 1,000 P7 pupils from 31 primary schools across the Lisburn City Council area attended the recent ‘Bee Safe’ event, organised by the Council’s Environmental Health Unit.
Safer Lisburn and the Investing for Health Partnership sponsored the week long event. Council Officers, the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Northern Ireland Electricity, Translink and the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust delivered this multi-agency community safety initiative.
Each agency at the Bee Safe event used interactive scenarios and role-play exercises to encourage those pupils present to think for themselves. The agencies involved in the Bee Safe initiative, believe it is important that P7 pupils get practical experience in dealing with potentially hazardous situations in addition to classroom-based learning.
The Mayor of Lisburn, Councillor Allan Ewart, speaking about the initiative said: “The Bee Safe initiative is very beneficial for P7 pupils in the Lisburn area. It can help them prepare for the changes they will encounter as they move into post-primary education. As the pupils enter a new academic stage it is expected that they will undertake more personal responsibility and experience new situations. The agencies involved in Bee Safe are there to advise and assist with these changes.
“On behalf of the Council, I would like to extend thanks to all the agencies involved over the course of the weeklong event and I hope that they will continue to work with the Council’s Environmental Health Unit in future Bee Safe events,” he concluded.
The wide range of safety issues covered by Bee Safe included: travelling by bus, fire safety; safety in the home; staying safe around dogs; safe use of the Internet; staying safe around electricity; personal safety and how to act if approached by strangers.
For further information or advice on safety please contact the Council’s Environmental Health Unit on telephone 028 9250 9394 or by email to ehealth@lisburn.gov.uk. Information is also available on the Council’s website www.lisburncity.gov.uk
HOME SAFETY EVENT FOR OVER 50’S WITH ELECTRIC BLANKET TESTING
Following research into accidents in the home in Northern Ireland, The Council’s Environmental Health Unit facilitated a home safety day held at Lagan Valley LeisurePlex. The event, attended by hundreds of local over 50s, delivered practical safety tips and advice on doorstep crime, accidents at home, fire safety and home security.
An electrical company, D M Electrics tested seven electric blankets and surprisingly six of which failed and were subsequently disposed off.
Colin Neighbourhood Environmental Week
The Environmental Health Unit and Waste Management attended an Environmental Information Day organised by Colin Neighbourhood. A display stand was erected with Information provided on how to look after the environment and people’s own physical wellbeing.
NIHE, Energy Efficiency, and the Colin Youth Forum also attended the event.
Young People and Volatile Substance Abuse
More teenagers die from sniffing solvents than from taking illegal drugs. There have been 94 deaths resulting from sniffing Volatile Substances in Northern Ireland since 1971, and the latest figures show 3 such deaths occurred in Northern Ireland in the year 2007.
Lisburn City Council and Lisburn Drug and Alcohol Forum held an information event in the Lagan Valley Island on Friday 5th March. Parents and retailers from the Lisburn area were invited to the event.
Lisburn City Council’s Tobacco Control Officer informed the audience that it is illegal for a retail outlet to supply butane or part butane gas cigarette lighter refills to anyone under the age of 18 and that Lisburn City Council would ensure by test purchasing that businesses complied.
Gary McMichael, Chairman of Lisburn Drug and Alcohol Forum said, “Volatile Substance Abuse is largely a hidden problem because it involves household products that are easily accessible and it is often done secretly and alone. Whilst perhaps less high profile than other forms of substance misuse such as alcohol or drugs, it is a real issue, with 8% of school children in Northern Ireland report misusing solvents. It is important that parents and people that work with children are aware of the facts and the risks of volatile substance abuse, so they can recognise the signs and seek help if they need it.”
Constable Geoff Baird, Community Safety Officer with Lisburn PSNI works with schools in the area and talks to students as part of their Citizenship and Safety Education (C.A.S.E.) programme. “Solvent abuse is one of the many topics we cover, it is a serious issue which can't be ignored. But it's often overshadowed by the alcohol abuse among young people, as well as smoking."
Police are keen to prevent solvent based products becoming readily available to adolescents and they also want to encourage parents to exercise greater parental responsibility by becoming more involved in knowing where their children are, who they are with and what they're doing.
Con Baird warned retailers to be vigilant: "Traders who supply people under the age of 18 with any substance, the fumes of which they know or believe will be inhaled, are committing an offence. Identifying the potential abuser is the key to prevention. Business owners - watch out for teenagers gathering around premises where these substances are displayed, and be wary of frequent purchases of solvent -based products by the same individuals."
He continued: "Awareness and responsible action by shopkeepers is essential in the battle to reduce this problem. Identifying sensitive products is the first step for traders who must also inform their staff that certain goods are to be kept under constant supervision or out of the reach of children who will sometimes steal to satisfy their craving."
The event proved very successful with both parents and retailers recognising the importance of raising awareness of this issue and knowing the support and help provided in Lisburn in tackling this type of abuse.
Chairperson of Lisburn City Council’s Environmental Health Service, Councillor Betty Campbell said, “ Misusing volatile substances can lead to death, brain damage, damage to the nervous system, lungs or other major internal organs. It is therefore important that retailers are made aware of their legal obligations in restricting the sale of certain VOC’s and parents are given the correct information to allow them to identify signs and symptoms of abuse before it is too late.”
For further information or advice contact ASCERT (Action on Substances Through Community Education and Related Training) on 028 9260 4422 or visit www.ascert.biz.
If you are a parent or retailer and would like more information on this topic please contact Lisburn City Council’s Environmental Health Service on 028 9250 9394 or email: ehealth@lisburn.gov.uk to receive a copy of our Volatile Substance Abuse information leaflet.
Useful links:
Investing for health www.investingforhealthni.gov.uk
Health Promotion Agency www.healthpromotionagency.org.uk
Public Health Matters www.publichealthmatters.org
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
The following link provides more detailed information: