Providing practical information and advice to help improve your health and wellbeing
The HSE will be attending this year’s event to provide information, advice and support to visitors to the National Ploughing Championships.
You’ll find the HSE at Block 3, Row 20, Stand 328, within the Government of Ireland Village.
Drop by the HSE stand for:
- Carbon monoxide testing and to sign up for your personalised QUIT smoking plan
- Information on a healthy pregnancy on the farm
- A discussion on job opportunities with the National Ambulance Service
- Information about your health and social care entitlements such as medical cards, GP Visit Cards, Fair Deal and much more from our team in HSELive.
You can also visit the HSE stand to:
- Book your COVID-19 vaccine appointment
- Top up your sunscreen, with our SunSmart campaign
- See if you’re a candidate for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening
- Find lots of other information about your health and health services.
HSELive – available to help with your health service questions:
The HSELive team will be available to provide practical advice and information in relation to the health service.
Carmel Cullen of HSELive says; “Our team are here to help with any queries or questions you might have in relation to services. We can help you book your COVID-19 vaccine, sign you up for a QUIT plan, advise on medical card applications and we can direct you to the many services within our health system. Drop bywhere one of the team will be delighted to assist you, or chat to one of our roving team members if you spot them.”
Public Health, HSE
The Public Health Team will be on hand to talk about 3 particular public health topics at this year’s Ploughing Championships. These are:
- Well Water:
To highlight the potential health risks associated with private well water supplies. It is estimated that 11% of the Irish population get their drinking water through a private water system in the form of an individual well. A private well is very often exempt from drinking water regulation legislation. Bacterial contamination can occur without change to taste or appearance to the water itself. Consuming undertreated water can result in serious illness, with children and older persons most at risk.
- VTEC (Verotoxigenic E. coli):
To bring awareness of VTEC (often called STEC) to the agricultural based population so as to protect against it and to minimise transfer to humans.Ireland has one of the highest number of VTEC cases in Europe. VTEC can cause serious illness. It can also lead to HUS which happens when VTEC toxins attack your red blood cells.
- Preparing for pregnancy when working in agriculture:
To provide information to those working in agriculture who are preparing for pregnancy about how they can protect against their risk. We also want to increase awareness of the female workforce in the agricultural industry and the health concerns of this important population.
A suite of information leaflets is available at Public Health
HSE START Campaign – Let’s go easy on treats
Remember when a bar of chocolate or packet of crisps was an occasional treat? For many families it is now part of everyday. Recent research for the START campaign reveals families spend on average €160 on treat foods like crisps, chocolate and biscuits in a month.
Sarah O’Brien, HSE National Lead Healthy Eating Active Living says;
“We know that parents and guardians want to do their best when it comes their children’s health. Parents have told us that they are aware the amount of treats in their families’ diet has increased and they welcome advice on how they can reduce this. Eating treat foods like crisps, chocolate and biscuits daily can mean children aren’t getting all the nutrients they need for healthy growth and also contributes to tooth decay.
“Parents trying to reduce treats will find the support they need at www.makeastart.ie; whether it’s advice on how to make a plan as a family to go easy on the treats; not buying as many when shopping; or guidance on how to talk to others in your family circle about offering smaller treats and not every day. Our advice is practical and will make a real difference to your child and families health.”
The National Screening Service
Diabetic RetinaScreen offers free, regular diabetic retinopathy screening to people with diabetes aged 12 years and older. See Diabetic RetinaScreen.ie for more information or contact us on free phone 1800 45 45 55.
Diabetic RetinaScreenProgramme Manager, Helen Kavanagh, says:
“We encourage people with diabetes to come and chat to our staff about the test on offer and how to register with the programme.”
Dementia – Understand Together
September is World Alzheimer’s Month. There are approximately 64,000 people living with dementia in Ireland at this time. With this number expected to more than double to 150,131 by 2045, more of us are going to find ourselves living with dementia, or supporting a loved one with dementia.
The HSE Dementia Understand Together Team will be at the Ploughing Championships on Tuesday 20 September to talk about support and services available post diagnosis, both from health services and through social and community initiatives and groups. In addition, our partners at the Alzheimer Society of Ireland will also be at the Ploughing Championships each day with their mobile information service and can provide information and advice to people with dementia, carers, supporters and anyone who may have concerns about their own brain health and well-being or that of a friend or family member.
National Ambulance Service (NAS)
The National Ambulance Service has a range of career opportunities available. They’ll be on hand on Tuesday 20th to talk to people about how to get involved and demonstrating CPR throughout the day.
A spokesperson for NAS said: “We are looking forward to promoting awareness of a range of career opportunities in the ambulance service. The NAS has a variety of opportunities for people from all walks of life who wish to build careers with us while playing an important role in their local communities. We currently have opportunities for Qualified Paramedics and at various times of the year we have opportunities for Student Paramedics, Intermediate Care Operatives (EMTs) and Emergency Medical Call Takers.”
Quit Smoking with the HSE QUIT Service
Recent research shows that 29% of current smokers in Ireland either are trying to quit or are actively planning to do so. If you quit smoking for 28 days, you are 5 times more likely to quit for good. If you smoke, the most important thing that you can do to improve your health is to quit. Quitting will improve your health more than any other change you can make and you will notice improvements within the first days and weeks of your QUIT journey.
At this year’s Ploughing Championships, our QUIT Service is on-hand to give lots of practical personalised support to help you stop smoking for 28 days and beyond. At the HSE QUIT stand you can have your breath carbon monoxide levels checked and avail of a free one-to-one stop smoking consultation with a HSE Stop Smoking Advisor.
Martina Blake, National Lead for the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, offers the following advice – “Most people who smoke want to quit, but for many the idea of quitting can seem like a difficult thing to embark upon. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to quit alone. The HSE Quit Service is here to help by providing the tools and supports to make it possible. The most important part of quitting is preparing for quitting and getting your head into the right space. Our qualified staff can help you weigh up the pros and cons, set a date that’s right for you and decide which medication is suitable to help you succeed.”
There are many different ways to get help to quit from the Quit Service:
- Drop by our QUIT stand on Tuesday 20th for a free consultation with a HSE Stop Smoking Advisor.
- Call the Freephone Quitline 1800 201 203.
- An online-personalised Quit plan where you can track your progress.
- A free Quit Kit to help you prepare.
- Advice on Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and stop smoking medication.
- Daily tips and support from people who have quit and who are trying to quit on the You Can Quit Facebook page.
