A community pharmacy-based campaign “encouraging sun safe behaviours and raising awareness of the health impacts of over-exposure to UV radiation” has launched across Northern Ireland.
Announced yesterday by the HSC Public Health Agency, the ‘care in the sun’ campaign will run throughout April and May, it said.
The campaign is being delivered in partnership with Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI) and the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.
Read more: ‘A bridge too far’: NI government rejects clawback suspension
Northern Irish community pharmacist Garth Newberry said that pharmacists “regularly help patients with a range of common health concerns associated with [the campaign] such as skin protection, treatment for sun exposure and mole concerns”.
“This campaign is an opportunity for you to chat to your local pharmacist or pharmacy team about how to look after your skin, how to stay safe in the sun, talk about medication that could increase your skin’s sensitivity to sunlight and also to raise any concerns, especially in relation to prevention and early detection of skin cancer,” he added.
And HSC Public Health Agency health improvement manager Frances Dowds stressed “that over-exposure to UV radiation from either the sun and/or sunbeds can damage skin”, explaining that “the majority of skin cancers are caused by this”.
Read more: Sun care and recognising skin cancer in the pharmacy
It comes after minister Mike Nesbitt announced last month that the Northern Irish government will not suspend the clawback of millions of pounds from community pharmacy.
Speaking during a parliamentary debate, he explained that the government cannot remove “long-standing” clawback arrangements to allow millions to be retained by pharmacies.
Meanwhile earlier in March, the Northern Irish Department of Health issued a call for three people to join the PSNI council to help “drive the delivery of essential health and social care services” in the region.
