Shropshire Health and Wellbeing e-Newsflash

Welcome to this Shropshire Health & Wellbeing e-Newsflash. This e-Newsflash is for everyone interested in health and wellbeing.

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Get ready for winter

Winter conditions can be seriously bad for our health, especially for people aged 65 or over, and people with long-term conditions.

We want to help protect you and those you care for.

Find help and information at: www.nhs.uk/staywell

Parents urged to protect their child from flu as winter sets in

As winter sets in and coughs and colds begin to circulate, parents and carers across Shropshire, and Telford and Wrekin, are being advised to check their child is eligible for the flu vaccine.

The annual nasal spray flu vaccine is free and available for children aged two, three and four years.  This year it has also been extended to include older children in school years one and two.

Find out more by reading the full Shropshire Newsroom article here.

Take part in Shropshire's Health and Wellbeing consultation

People are invited to tell us what you think about how we can work together to improve our health and well-being, and our health and care services in Shropshire. This current consultation is open until Sunday 29 November 2015.

The draft Health & Well-being Strategy outlines how health and care organisations in Shropshire are planning for the future. It describes how people in Shropshire can work together to make the county a happier and healthier place.

Find out more information here: www.shropshiretogether.org.uk/give-your-views-in-the-health-and-wellbeing-strategy-consultation/

Take the survey here: new.shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/health-and-wellbeing-strategy/ (click on 'How to get involved; to take the survey)

The Big Conversation

Big Conversation survey launched: have your say now on the future of council services

Residents across Shropshire are being urged to take part in what is the biggest consultation on Shropshire Council services ever launched.

The Big Conversation survey is the first phase of a five-year conversation the council wants to have with the people of Shropshire to ask them what council services are most important to them.

The Big Conversation comes in light of continuous Government cuts which, in five years’ time, will leave only one quarter of the current funding that pays for over 150 services.

Click here to read the full story on Shropshire Newsroom.

For more information about the Big Conversation and to take part:

visit: shropshire.gov.uk/bigconversation

follow us: @shropcouncil #Shropbc

email: BigConversation@shropshire.gov.uk

call: 0345 678 9077 (weekdays from 9am to 5pm)

Children’s Trust Forum

Shropshire Children’s Trust are holding an evening forum for professionals. If you work within Early Years settings (childminder, pre-school or nursery), schools or a GP practice then come along to this free event.

You are  invited to a discussion forum focussing on Strengthening Families through Early Help.

Please email Shropshire Together at ShropshireTogether@shropshire.gov.uk to book your place on the forum:

Wednesday 13th January 2016

6.30pm - 8.30 p.m

Community Hall 2 at The Lantern, Meadow Farm Drive, Shrewsbury.

The forum will discuss:-

Strengthening Families through Early Help – From Strategy to Reality

• The Role of Compass
• Information Sharing
• Processes
• Working together and role of front line workers

Shaping the Dementia Landscape – 10th December

Healthwatch Shropshire are holding an event for providers. If you provide services to people living with dementia or their carers, you are invited to attend this workshop on:

Thursday 10th December, 1.30pm 

at the Central Baptist Church, 

Claremont Street, 

Shrewsbury, SY1 1QG

Please contact enquiries@healthwatchshropshire.co.uk or call 01743 237884 for more information.

Visit: www.healthwatchshropshire.co.uk

A call to Shropshire men to become White Ribbon Ambassadors

The Shropshire Countywide Domestic Abuse Forum, which is made up of many different partners across Shropshire, including the National Probation Service, West Mercia Police and the Fire Service, is calling on men in Shropshire to become White Ribbon Ambassadors.

White Ribbon Ambassadors are highly respected men from a wide range of sectors who are willing to encourage men and boys in the community to participate in the global movement to eliminate violence against women and girls.

The White Ribbon campaign want to recruit men from across all walks of life, from different communities, backgrounds, groups, professions, to become ambassadors to stand up and say ‘No’ to violence against women.

Click here to read the full story on Shropshire Newsroom.

Freedom Shropshire

You can sign up to receive updates and e-newsletters from Freedom Shropshire.

Freedom Shropshire is designed to enable people who live and work in Shropshire to access relevant and up to date guidance and advice on Domestic Abuse and Violence and provide information on services offered within Shropshire.

Click here to sign up to the newsletter or to see past editions.

You can find more news on the https://freedomshropshire.wordpress.com/

Theatre production aims to keep Shropshire children safe from child sexual exploitation

Shropshire’s Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) has extended the preventative work that is taking place in schools to raise awareness amongst young people of the risks of child sexual exploitation (CSE).

A key priority of SSCB is the early identification and prevention of child sexual exploitation and one of the main developments over the last month has been the roll-out of Alter Ego’s theatre production on CSE – ‘Chelsea’s Choice’ - in each of Shropshire’s secondary schools. 

Click here to read the full story on Shropshire Newsroom.

Shout About Social Value

On Tuesday 17 November 2015 a special market place event was held at Shirehall in Shrewsbury aimed at local commissioners, to engage them and provide more information about social value and the voluntary and community sector services being provided within Shropshire, including Telford and Wrekin.

Click here to read the full news story on Shropshire Newsroom.

Do you know who's calling you?

Hang up on Fraud

"Every year people fall victim to fraud following a phone call. Fraudsters are posing as bank staff, police officers and other official companies or in a position of trust. Often the fraudster will claim that there has been a fraud on your account and that you need to take action. This type of fraud is called Vishing and it's becoming more sophisticated and widespread."

This leaflet has been produced to explain how fraudulent callers operate, what to look out for and when to hang up.

If you want more advice from Financial Fraud Action UK, take a look at the leaflet here, or visit: www.financialfraudaction.org.uk

There is also information available about scam mail. Click here to find out how these scammers operate and what to look out for when taking a call.

Hollie Guard - Your new personal safety app

Hollie Guard is a new smartphone app that can help to keep you safe. With just a simple tap or shake the app automatically sends your location or audio/video to your designated contacts. 

The app can allow an alert to be activated to draw attention through light and sound, or an alert can be raised silently letting your identified contacts know that you require assistance. Your emergency contacts can follow your movements with real-time updates, allowing them to keep track of your location. This function is useful for ensuring safe and confident travel or when working alone.

Other features allow emergency contacts to see when injury or personal immobilisation has resulted in non-movement. Go to: www.hollieguard.com to find out more.

Got some news to share?

If you have a topic or article that you would like to feature in this newsletter, please contact us by email: shropshiretogether@shropshire.gov.uk or telephone: 01743 253972.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Next Meeting:

The next public Health and Wellbeing Board meeting will be held on Friday 4th December 2015, starting at 9.30am at Shirehall in Shrewsbury.

The agenda and relevant papers will become available on the Health and Wellbeing webpage prior to the meeting. Please see the attached link below to access previous meeting agendas:

Health and Wellbeing Board