Health Support

Local and National Health News

Buckinghamshire and national news headlines

latest news

Winter Fuel allowance

From Buckinghamshire council
“Pensioners in Buckinghamshire are being invited to attend a free surgery in their local area to see if they are eligible for Pension Credit. If they are, then they will be entitled to keep the Winter Fuel Allowance. The Government has said it will be withdrawing Winter Fuel Allowance from all pensioners, except those on Pension Credit or similar support. The council see it as important to help those who need to apply for Pension Credit but are not sure how to do so or are unsure if they are eligible to receive the payment.”

Further information

For further information on this topic and other financial support see under

Notifications

Follow-up care after privately funded bariatric (weight loss) surgery in the UK or abroad

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West
“Some people choose to pay privately to have bariatric surgery in the UK or abroad and are strongly advised to be cautious and take into account all aspects of the full care that they will need to fund in addition to the surgery itself.” If you are considering private bariatric surgery at home or abroad it is important to read the full statement from the local ICB.

Further information

Further general information on managing the boundary between NHS and privately funded health care can be found under:

Reducing medication waste

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
Local NHS teams across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West are urging the public to take greater care when managing their repeat prescriptions, encouraging people to order only the medications they truly need. Every month, our health region spends £22,000,000 on medicines, with around 2,500,000 prescriptions issued. Approximately 75% of all prescriptions which are dispensed nationally are for repeat medications and it is estimated that 10% of these medicines are not required by the patient as they have sufficient supplies and end up being disposed of.

Further information

For further information how medication wastage can be avoided, see under

new services and support

Common infections treated by your local pharmacist

From the BBC
Pharmacists to prescribe drugs for minor illnesses in England – BBC News
Treatments for seven conditions such as sore throats and earaches are now available directly from pharmacists, without the need to visit a doctor.

The Pharmacy First scheme will allow most chemists in England to issue some medications to patients without appointments or referrals.

What can pharmacists supply medicines for now?

  • sore throat
  • earache
  • sinusitis
  • impetigo
  • shingles
  • infected insect bites
  • uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

Patients can access the new service by walking straight into a chemist or being referred by NHS 111, urgent treatment centres, emergency departments or their GP. Those who are not registered with a GP can still access the service.

If one of the seven conditions is diagnosed, pharmacists can give medicines to patients rather than sending them back to their GP.

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
Pharmacies to offer drugs for minor conditions – no GP appointment needed Pharmacies to offer drugs for minor conditions – no GP appointment needed | BOB ICB

Further support from your local pharmacist and further information

Pharmacists can support many common medical conditions, see under

Information on infections

Mental Health Support

From the BBC
People in crisis with mental health problems can now access services through NHS 111 in England, giving them another way to get urgent help. The number connects to a local team of call handlers with mental health training, alongside nurses and clinicians who are available around the clock.

From NHS England
Millions of patients experiencing a mental health crisis can now benefit from support through 111, the NHS has announced today. People of all ages, including children, who are in crisis or concerned family and loved ones can now call 111, select the mental health option and speak to a trained mental health professional.

From the NHS
Where to get urgent help for mental health including through 111 Where to get urgent help for mental health – NHS

Further information

Further information on emergency mental health support can be found under:

Self-refer for physiotherapy

From MSK Buckinghamshire – local physiotherapy service

PLEASE NOTE: “If you need to see one of our specialist clinicians or need any diagnostic imaging, we will still require a referral by your GP, consultant or other healthcare professional looking after you.”

Further information

For further support and information on muscular and joint conditions in adults, see under

online Carers support

From Mobilise and Buckinghamshire County Council

Further information

For further support for carers see under

Adult care services directory

From Buckinghamshire Council
“This directory will help you find and view information about professional care services, equipment and community resources available in Buckinghamshire.”

Further information

For further support for care services see under

Vaccinations

Flu and covid-19

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
Anyone eligible can book their vaccinations via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free if they can’t get online.

From the BBC
The NHS has started offering autumn Covid boosters to the most vulnerable. Many pharmacies also now sell the Covid jab privately.

Further information

For further general information on flu and covid, see under

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

From the BBC
Winter virus jab rolled out for pregnant women and elderly: A vaccination programme to protect newborn babies and older people against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is being rolled out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, following a similar scheme in Scotland.

From the NHS

MMR Vaccine and measles protection

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
Why the MMR vaccine will help protect you and your child from measles. Why the MMR vaccine will help protect you and your child from measles. | BOB ICB

Local NHS services are urging parents and carers to book their children in for their missed measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, as measles cases continue to rise across the country.

Parents of children aged six to 11 years old are being contacted by NHS teams encouraging them to make an appointment with their child’s GP practice for their missed MMR vaccine.

ROUTINE VACCINE CATCH-UP CLINICS FOR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

From Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Vaccinations (school immunisations): includes information on catch-up clinics and all school vaccinations

Further information

For further general information on vaccines, see under

Healthy living and disease prevention

Show your heart some love

Women in Buckinghamshire are being encouraged to look after their heart health as part of a new campaign being run by Buckinghamshire Council.

From Buckinghamshire Council
“Coronary heart disease (CHD) kills more than twice as many women as breast cancer in the UK every year and 830,000 women in the UK are currently living with CHD. Yet many women don’t know what the symptoms of a heart attack are and can be misdiagnosed. That’s why it’s important to know your body, know the signs of heart disease, and live a healthy lifestyle to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Further support

You can also get your BP checked as part of an NHS Health Check (age 40 to 74) as well as opportunities in the community referred to in the links above.

  • NHS Health Check –  also includes how to find out what your blood pressure reading means

There is local support in many areas which support a healthy heart, without requiring a trip to your GP, including

Free blood pressure checks

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
The NHS in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West has launched a campaign to encourage people aged 40 and over to get their blood pressure checked for free at a local pharmacy.
Age 40+ and checked your blood pressure recently? Get tested at your community pharmacy | BOB ICB

From Buckinghamshire Council
Love Your Heart Bucks | Buckinghamshire Council
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular disease. When blood pressure is high over a long period of time, it puts a strain on the heart, blood vessels and other organs. Checking your blood pressure is easy. In Buckinghamshire, there are many places where you can check your blood pressure for free.

Further support

You can also get your BP checked as part of an NHS Health Check

  • NHS Health Check – also includes how to find out what your blood pressure reading means

Support with stopping smoking

From the BBC
The NHS will start offering an “improved” stop smoking pill to tens of thousands of people in England who want to quit cigarettes. Varenicline, a daily tablet given over a few months, is as effective as vapes and more effective than nicotine replacement gum or patches, NHS England says.

Local support

For local support to help with stopping smoking, see under

Get involved

Share your views, experiences and ideas on the NHS

From the Department of Health and Social Care
“The NHS has been there for us for over 76 years. But to make sure the NHS is here for the next 76 years, doing all it can to support the health of everyone, we need your help. We want to have the biggest ever conversation about the future of the NHS. It doesn’t matter whether you have a lot or a little to say. Your views, experiences and ideas will shape a new 10 Year Health Plan for England. This is open to everyone. If you are a member of the public or someone who works in health and care in England.

Getting involved in local research

The South Asia Biobank is an international research study designed to prevent the high risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer among South Asian people.
By collecting this information from thousands of people, South Asian Biobank Study aims to find out why diseases may affect some people more than others. This could help to transform the health of South Asians world-wide.

If patients participate, they can learn more about your own health and support, helping you and your GP to make better decisions about your health and care.

Patients can visit the website to book an appointment or call Wycombe Hospital on 01494 425901.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further information on research, see under

Vacancies

For vacancies at any GP practice linked to Bucks Health Hub see under:

For vacancies at other local GP practices see under:

Your opportunity to give your views on health care across Buckinghamshire

From the local integrated care board who oversees health care in Buckinghamshire
“We are keen to develop a way of working that ensures that public and stakeholder engagement is embedded into everything we do. It is only by listening to each other, sharing knowledge and experience and working together that we can best understand the needs of the communities we serve, and develop our services to meet those needs.”
“Get involved” BOB ICB website. Retrieved 14 February 2023

 

Influence the council and local nhs services

You can find and take part in consultations, surveys and other public involvement opportunities relating to local NHS or council services.

From Your Voice Bucks (from Buckinghamshire Council and the local NHS)
“You’re in the right place for public consultations, surveys and engagement activities happening in Buckinghamshire. We publish activities from Buckinghamshire Council and local NHS services.” Your Voice Bucks – Citizen Space includes

influencing local health care

From BOB ICB
The local integrated care board who oversees health care in Buckinghamshire suggest a number of strategies to influence local health care.

Featured pages from Bucks Health Hub

Why is it worth learning about first aid?

Why is sepsis important to know about and how can you spot sepsis?

Why is planning for the future, even if you are well now, an important part of good end of life care?

Local health and social care news across Buckinghamshire

There are many organisations which make important contributions to health across Buckinghamshire. This includes the NHS, the council, the voluntary and private sectors. The news covered here focusses on larger organisations. A good place to start is the news from the Integrated care board which covers changes and new services across a number of local organisations.

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
News from across local organisations News | BOB ICB

The council and public health

From Buckinghamshire council

Hospitals

From Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust hospital
News News – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

From Wexham park hospital – Frimley Health Foundation Trust
News News | NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust

From Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
News News & events | The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Mental health

From Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies (mental health support in the community)
News News and updates – NHS Buckinghamshire Talking Therapies

GP practices

From Fedbucks (Local GP federation)
News News – FedBucks

Pharmacists

From Community Pharmacy Thames Valley – Buckinghamshire Latest News
Buckinghamshire – Community Pharmacy Thames Valley

Ambulance

From the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
News News | South Central Ambulance Service

Local consumer champion

From Health Watch Bucks
“Our role is to ensure that health and social care services put the experiences of people at the heart of their work.”
News News Archives – Healthwatch Bucks

Understanding local health

From Public Health – Buckinghamshire council
The latest data and reports on health in Buckinghamshire Local Profiles

Topical health information and strategies

Topical health information
Evidenced based medicine applies the best available research to clinical care. However, it can take time for research to feed through to national guidance such as from NICE, as such guidance is too large to be reviewed regularly. We will include some news on clinical trials which may feed through to future guidance.

Local public health strategies
There are often county wide public health strategies to improve health and social wellbeing, often led by the council and public health.

Some topical health information and strategies are included below:

Reducing allergy

From the BBC
Giving babies smooth peanut butter could provide lifelong allergy defence – BBC News
“Giving smooth peanut butter to babies and throughout early childhood could give lifelong protection against peanut allergy, researchers say.

Teenagers who ate it up to age five were 71% less likely to develop an allergy than if the food was shunned. The team at King’s College London advise parents to offer peanut butter during weaning, then regularly and in large amounts until age five.”

Infant crying and how to cope

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
Raising awareness of infant crying and how to cope. | BOB ICB
“Babies cry, you can cope!” is the message from the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) which is supporting a national campaign to raise awareness about the risks of shaking a baby.

The ICON campaign is based on simple messages making up the ICON acronym:

I          Infant crying is normal and it will stop

C        Comforting methods can sometimes soothe the baby and the crying will stop

O        It’s OK to walk away for a few minutes if you have checked the baby is safe and the crying is getting to you

N        Never ever shake or hurt a baby.

Squats / planks and blood pressure

From the BBC
Wall squats and planks best at lowering blood pressure – BBC News
“Strength-training exercises such as wall squats or holding the plank position are among the best ways to lower blood pressure, a study suggests.

Analysis, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, of trials involving 16,000 people found all exercise lowered high blood pressure.

But wall squats and planking led to larger falls than aerobic exercise.”

Exercising ever day can help

From the BBC
Fitness: Fewer than 5,000 steps a day enough to boost health – study – BBC News
“It has long been touted that 10,000 steps a day is the magic number you need to stay fit and healthy – but a new study shows fewer than 5,000 may be enough to see a benefit.

The analysis of more than 226,000 people around the world showed 4,000 was enough to start reducing the risk of dying prematurely of any cause.”

Local physical activity strategy

This strategy has been adopted by the Buckinghamshire Health and Wellbeing Board, the key partnership for promoting the health and wellbeing of residents.

Different organisations and services will be working together to achieve the aims of the strategy, which are to:

Achieving better health in Buckinghamshire

From the Integrated Care Board Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West
“Our vision is for everyone who lives in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the Berkshire West area, to have the best possible start in life, to live happier, healthier lives for longer, and to be able to access the right support when they need it”  

Information on this vision and how you can achieve this is explained further under

Local hospital waiting times for various specialties

Most patients chose to attend the hospital closest to their home for convenience. However, some patients will ask what the waiting time is for local hospitals. Waiting times can change over time but the latest information for local hospital is included in this section

Waiting times

You can use the My Planned Care website to check the waiting times at your local hospitals.
My Planned Care My Planned Care NHS which includes commonly used local hospitals

If you require more prolonged treatment (such as surgery) remember if you do choose a hospital further away than your local hospital that if you decide to switch back to your local hospital this is not a quick process and can disrupt your treatment.

Guidance on waiting times

Guidance is provided by the NHS 

Data on local services

“We have to guard against making oversimplified statements, for example that the quality of care is either good or bad.”
Lucia Kossarova, Ian Blunt and Martin Bardsley. “Summary: International comparisons of healthcare quality” Nuffield Trust website. Retrieved 14 February 2023

The statement from the Nuffield Trust when comparing data across countries can equally apply to comparing organisations (e.g., hospitals) across a county.

It has to be remembered that different organisations can serve very different populations (including in relation to age and wealth) with an associated diverse range of health needs. In addition, the ease of recruiting health care staff can also vary, even across a county.

However, the data can suggest trends and also can give some absolute outcomes. Some comparative data is provided for:

Local hospital waiting times for various specialities

See section above

BBC NHS Tracker

The BBC makes some available information on hospitals and ambulance services more digestible with their NHS tracker and this allows direct comparisons. This tracker is periodically updated. Remember that data is always looking back in time.

BBC NHS Tracker NHS Tracker: How is the NHS in your area coping this winter? – BBC News

This original article was from March 2022, but the tracker has been updated since.

other Hospital data

The data from NHS England includes data on accident and emergency, cancer treatment, cancelled operations and more. However, it is not always easy to interpret, though this is likely to improve over time.

From NHS England
Statistical work areas Statistics » Statistical work areas

CQC

From the Care Quality Commission
“Use our information to check hospitals in England and the quality of their care” Find a hospital – Care Quality Commission 

General practice data dashboards

From NHS Digital
Provide a collection of interactive dashboards relating to general practice. You can search by practice General practice data dashboards – NHS Digital

CQC

From the Care Quality Commission
“If you’re looking for a family doctor or GP, you can check what services they offer and the quality of care you can expect” Find a family doctor or GP – Care Quality Commission

Mental health services

NHS Digital provide mental health data, including some UK wide trends and comparative data at a county wide / integrated care board level.

From NHS Digital
Mental Health Data Hub Mental Health Data Hub – NHS Digital

 

National health news

The BBC

Wearable tech can monitor our health but why are doctors so sceptical?
Wearable tech – currently dominated by smart watches – is a multi-billion dollar industry with a sharp focus on health tracking. Many premium products claim to accurately track exercise routines, body temperature, heart rate, menstrual cycle and sleep patterns, among others. But many doctors – and tech experts – remain cautious about using health data captured by wearables.

Warning over private over-the-counter blood tests
Doctors have raised concerns about the use of blood tests bought online or over the counter that promise to help people “take control of their health”. The British Medical Association (BMA) warned some of the tests were unregulated and put extra pressure on GPs left to reassure their patients.

Vaping – is it a risk-free option?
They are brightly coloured, easy-to-use and come in flavours from cotton candy to blue raspberry – disposable vapes are surging in popularity. They’re also a major part of the government’s plan in England to get the remaining six million smokers to quit by 2030. So how safe is vaping, particularly for young people who have never smoked?

Please check the BBC Health news section Health – BBC News for the latest version of these stories and other health news.

NHS England

NHS England » NHS expands lifesaving home testing kits for bowel cancer
Home-testing kits that can help detect early-stage bowel cancer will be rolled out to 58-year-olds in England for the first time, as part of a major expansion of the lifesaving screening programme. People aged 58 years will be automatically sent a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) once eligible, which can detect early signs of bowel cancer by precisely recording the presence of any blood in just a tiny sample of poo.

Please check the NHS England news section NHS England » News for the latest version of this story and other health news.

gov uk

From The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
UKHSA is responsible for protecting every member of every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents and other health threats. Featured news UK Health Security Agency – GOV.UK

From The Department of Health & Social Care
Featured news Department of Health and Social Care – GOV.UK

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

Physiotherapy

You can now self refer for physiotherapy locally

Your Pharmacy

Seven common infections now treated by your local pharmacist

CAMPAIGNS

Show your heart some love, women of Bucks!

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