PublicHealthMatters 
Dear everyone I always pause my weekly message during the pre-election period but as 2019 draws to a close and with the election concluded, I wanted to send my best wishes and say a heartfelt thank you for a year of exceptional hard work, and much to be proud of. It is a privilege to … Read more
young woman having a stomach ache Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, is highly infectious and causes vomiting and diarrhoea. Norovirus is easily transmitted through contact with infected individuals and any surfaces or objects which have been contaminated with virus shed by these individuals. Norovirus activity has started earlier this winter and laboratory … Read more
Like many public service organisations we will be communicating in-line with General Election 2019 guidance from midnight on Wednesday 6 November 2019 until a new government is formed. Though we will continue to publish data, important operational updates and health warnings when necessary, our activity will reduce as we will not be issuing new strategy, … Read more
What’s happening in the US? Since mid-September, headlines around the world have warned about an outbreak of serious lung disease across the US, said to be associated with vaping. As of October 22, 1,604 cases have been reported to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) from 49 US states, including 34 deaths. The US has … Read more
Mental health and mental illness have an impact on all of us, either directly or indirectly – whilst we can all benefit from having good mental health, 1 in 6 adults experienced a common mental health problem in the last week. People with more serious mental illness die 15-20 years earlier than the rest of … Read more
Please note we cannot answer any questions that relate to individual health concerns. You should consult your GP or specialist consultant. What is flu? Flu is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract, usually characterised by a fever, chills, headache, aching muscles, joint pain and fatigue. It is a highly infectious virus different to … Read more
Public Health England’s Wider Determinants of Health tool has been updated, providing the latest data for key indicators of the ‘root causes’ of ill health. The wider determinants of health are the broad social and economic circumstances into which we are born, live, work and grow older. Examples can be found in this A-Z guide. … Read more
The latest edition of Health Matters, PHE’s professional resource, focuses on the scale of rough sleeping in England, the causes and consequences of rough sleeping (including the links with poor physical and mental health, prevention and effective interventions) and relevant calls to action. This blog provides a summary of the full edition’s content. The scale … Read more
The road ahead for the public’s health is one of great opportunity, and one we must seize with all our energy. In 2019 we have had the publication of the NHS Long Term Plan and the Government’s green paper on prevention, both setting out a vision of how we can move from prioritising treating poor … Read more
The first ever evidence review of dependence and withdrawal problems associated with prescription medicines assesses the scale and distribution of the issue and outlines how to ensure people can benefit from the relevant medicines when they are needed, whilst limiting any harms caused by dependence or withdrawal. Find out more in this blog about what … Read more