SOUTHPOD

Local comedian Jake O’Kane is urging everyone to get their vaccine and has words of support for health and care staff as they work through this latest Covid surge. 

We continue to experience severe pressure on our hospital beds due to increasing numbers of Covid patients needing admission. Staff are working hard to discharge patients who are well enough as quickly as possible. Our Deputy Medical Director Dr Damian Gormley explains how we are managing this latest surge and how patients and relatives can help.

You may be worried about piling on the pounds when you stop smoking, but there are steps you can take to keep weight gain to a minimum.  Theresa from our Stop Smoking Team has some tips she wants to share.   For advice and support contact: The Stop Smoking Service on 028 3756 4400 or email stop.smoking@southerntrust.hscni.net  

Over the past few weeks we’ve seen an increase in the number of coronavirus infections amongst younger age groups, especially 18 – 40 year olds.  27-year-old Emma Campbell tells us why she thinks it’s important for people her age to make safe choices to protect themselves and others.

In the past week half of the coronavirus cases in NI are believed to be linked to the Delta variant and the number of cases is rising.  It’s mainly affecting people in the 18 – 40 age range and also young children. Armagh GP Dr Frances O’Hagan is calling on young people to get the jab and has important advice for parents.  

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen many health and social care services overwhelmed which has led to increased and sustained pressure and stress for health and social care staff. Nurses, midwives, AHPs, social care workers and social workers are on the frontline and have needed to respond to the increased need for reassurance and support for patients, women and their families while dealing with the ad...

Remember 1 in 3 people with Covid -19 have no symptoms. Our staff can now take a rapid test which will give a result in just 30 minutes. Order your free, easy to use kit today and help protect your colleagues and patients. Listen for more details.  

In this episode we catch up with Consultant Paediatrician Dr Shilpa Shah and Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Colm Darby to discuss vaccinations in premature babies.   

For this episode we are joined with some of our IPC team who have some great advise on wearing PPE. 

We all know that stopping smoking improves your physical health. But it's also proven to boost your mental health and wellbeing: it can improve mood and help relieve stress, anxiety and depression. In the Southern Trust, we are delighted that we are the only Trust in Northern Ireland to have a dedicated Mental Health Stop Smoking Specialist Nurse and Diane joins us today to discuss the benefi...

Dr Damian Gormley speaks to Southpod about the real time data which helps us make decisions about services during the Pandemic   Want to watch the interview? Visit https://youtu.be/YLiDPMv_EyY    

Did you know you’re up to 4 times more likely to stop smoking for good if you use a combination of stop smoking treatment and receive support from one of our Stop Smoking Specialists? Our stop smoking service is provided by specialist advisers who use a range of proven methods to help you quit smoking. They will support you to develop a tailored quit plan based on why you smoke and why you want to...

As COVID-19 is a new disease we still have much to learn about how our immune system responds to it. We don’t know how long an antibody response lasts or whether having antibodies means you cannot be re-infected or transmit the virus to others. Trust staff are involved in a major national study which will help us answer some of these questions.

The first of the COVID-19 vaccines is already being rolled out to priority groups across Northern Ireland. Dr Tracey Boyce speaks to Southpod about how this may be the light at the end of the tunnel we’ve all been waiting for.  

With so much misinformation out there about vaccines it’s vital that we all have the facts about immunisation.  Dr Shilpa Shah speaks to Southpod to dispel some common vaccine myths.

Our very own Joe and Karen Walker – the Trust’s top peer vaccinators.  In this episode they tell us why they’ll be front of the queue for the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Figures from the PHA estimate that approximately 1130 people are living with HIV and receiving care in Northern Ireland.  Mal is one of those people.  He shares his own story highlighting the progress that has been made, the need to continue education and awareness, and the role of healthcare professionals in championing change and challenging stigma.  

Is it possible to recover the economy and still suppress the virus?   We speak to  Ms Ana Paula Coutinho Rehse, Infection Prevention and Control Expert, WHO Regional Office for Europe to find out.

Superspreaders, ventilation, cleaning, social distancing, testing, PPE… Global IPC expert discusses COVID-19 with the team leading the Trust’s response to the Pandemic.

As part of Occupational Therapy (OT) Week we spoke to some of our Children’s Occupational Therapists about  how the service has evolved and diversified over the years and why you should think about a career in OT.  

 Masks only work when we wear them properly.  In this episode we speak to Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Denise McDonagh who talks about some common mask mistakes and explains how wearing a face mask incorrectly can actually do more harm than good.

Our Consultant Microbiologist Cara McKeating talks to Southpod about why we all need to maintain our social distance to stop the spread of COVID-19.

In this podcast we speak to Ana Paula Coutinho Rehse, an IPC expert from the World Health Organisation, who says it’s more important than ever that healthcare workers get the flu vaccine. Here she explains why.  

An IPC expert from the World Health Organisation has a message for Southern Trust staff who have been treating patients with Covid-19 and fighting to manage coronavirus outbreaks.  Ana Paula has ‘virtually visited’ over 30 European countries during the pandemic speaking to more than 10,000 frontline staff. In this podcast she shares her insights into PPE, virus transmission and staying resilient a...