The junior doctors' strike 24 - 29 February affected all our local trusts across the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West area.

The ICB worked closely with partners across the NHS and care sector during the strikes to ensure services remained safe. 

We prioritised resources to protect emergency treatment, critical care, neonatal care, maternity, and trauma, and ensured priority for patients who had waited the longest for elective care and cancer surgery.

Unfortunately, some appointments and procedures have been rescheduled and patients have been informed. Local NHS trusts are working to see patients and service users as quickly as possible.

This is being held on Tuesday 19 March (10am - 1pm) at the POWIC Conference Room, Warneford Hospital, Warneford Lane, Headington, Oxford 0X3 7JX.

You can join the meeting in person or through an online live stream via a direct link. 

Details on how to join and information about the agenda, papers or how to ask a question will be available closer to the meeting on the BOB ICB website 

The ICB has pledged to help local smokers quit the habit in line with the Government's plans to make the country smokefree by 2023. 

ICB interim chief executive Nick Broughton, chief medical officer Rachael de Caux, and Sim Scavazza, acting chair, each signed the NHS Smoke Free Pledge in February (pictured l/r Sim, Rachael, and Nick). 

The Pledge is a clear and visible way for NHS bodies to show their commitment to helping smokers to quit and to providing smokefree environments which support them to achieve this. 

For details on the ICB's plans to encourage local people to stop smoking in support of the pledge visit our website here 

You can still get vaccinated against flu at a participating pharmacy or your GP surgery. If you’re not sure, get in touch with them and ask.

You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:

• are aged 65 or over (including if you will be 65 by 31 March 2024)
• have certain long-term health conditions
• are pregnant
• live in a care home
• are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer's allowance
• live with someone who has a weakened immune system
• Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.

Don’t risk it – check your flu vaccine status today.

With the rise in measles cases across the country, data shows that one in five children who catch the virus will need to visit hospital.

Anyone unsure if they or their child has had two doses of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine should check with their GP surgery.

The NHS is keen to ensure little ones are fully vaccinated. One dose is usually given at one year old, and the second dose given at three years, four months. Two doses are needed for maximum protection.

It is not just children who may need to have their MMR jabs. Anyone older who may have missed out for any reason should arrange to catch up with routine vaccines as soon as possible, including those people:

• planning a pregnancy
• travelling abroad
• starting college or university
• frontline health and care staff
• born between 1970 and 1979, as you may have only been vaccinated against measles
• born between 1980 and 1990, as you may not be protected against mumps

Check out our Stay Well page for more information on flu and other routine vaccines you may have missed:  Immunisation and vaccination - Stay Well (staywell-bob.nhs.uk)

The next Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Integrated Care Partnership (BOB ICP) meeting in public is on Thursday 21 March (9am-11am). 

The ICP is a group of organisations which plan and provide health and care services for around 1.8 million people who live and work in the local authority areas of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire’s three westerly local authority areas of West Berkshire, Reading and Wokingham (known collectively as ‘Berkshire West’).

To find more information about the meeting including venue details (which you can attend in person), how to join via a live steam, the agenda or how to ask a question or to petition the partnership visit the website here

The Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance has lots of useful guidelines to help prepare and support people to safely fast during Ramadan.

Diabetes UK and Ramadan 2024 Diabetes UK have produced a factsheet about diabetes and Ramadan, which includes information about fasting and management of diabetes during this time. This has been developed in partnership with the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA).

It is available to download in English, Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati and Urdu

More at: Diabetes and Ramadan | Fasting | Diabetes UK

Buckinghamshire Council is encouraging health professionals to refer smokers to Be Healthy Bucks smoking cessation support to support No Smoking Day.

Be Healthy Bucks offers free non-judgemental advice on the best way to quit smoking.

Smokers are three times more likely to quit smoking when they are referred to and use a local service. Be Healthy Bucks can offer phone, digital, face to face or a combination of support options for up to 12 weeks.

In addition, the service offers a range of methods to keeping cravings at bay including Nicotine Replacement Therapy or E-Cigarettes. For further information visit the Be Healthy Bucks smoking cessation support pages. 

A national survey reveals patients have given the thumbs up to maternity care at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. 

Of the 197 women who took part in the annual Picker Survey about this local service, 95 per cent had 'confidence and trust' in staff who looked after them during labour and birth. 

The survey also showed the following about maternity care at the Trust:  

• 97 per cent of respondents said they felt midwives and doctors were aware of their antenatal medical history (compared to the average at 89 per cent)
• 93 per cent said they were happy with their level of involvement regarding decisions about being induced (compared to the average of 87per cent). 

For more details about the survey results visit the Trust website here 

Women are being encouraged to ‘love their heart’ via Buckinghamshire Council’s new campaign launching on International Women’s Day, Friday 8 March 2024. This is part of the Love Your Heart Bucks initiative to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the county.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack, the risk factors for CVD, and the lifestyle changes that can prevent or manage CVD among women of all ages and backgrounds.

To find out more and how to get involved, sign up for our Professionals launch event on Tuesday 26 March 11am – 11.45am. The webinar will be recorded if you are unable to make it.

Studies have shown that women are less likely to seek medical help when experiencing heart attack-like symptoms and that they have a higher chance of receiving the wrong initial diagnosis after a heart attack.

Pump It Up encourages Buckinghamshire residents to regularly monitor their blood pressure and share their results with their GP practice.

The Buckinghamshire Public Health team joined forces with two Primary Care Networks to revise the blood pressure information and results booklet which now allows users of blood pressure monitors or health kiosks to record their results, full name, and NHS number (if known).

Pump It Up Kiosks are available in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Chesham libraries plus Unit 33 in Friars Square Shopping Centre. Residents can loan a blood pressure monitor from Aylesbury, Castlefield, Chesham, High Wycombe and Micklefield libraries.

Monitor and kiosk users are encouraged to submit their booklet to their GP practice. 

The National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury celebrated 80 years of providing care in February. 

To celebrate this achievement, the centre which is managed by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, has launched an appeal to raise £80k.

This will help fund the best treatments and care for patients with spinal cord injury,  and pay for future research into new rehabilitation approaches and technologies.

To find out how to donate on the Trust’s fundraising page.

Buckinghamshire residents of South Asian heritage can find out more about their health via a county research study.

Those who join the South Asia BioBank (LOLIPOP 100K) study at Wycombe Hospital undergo a 90-minute series of tests including blood pressure, an electrocardiogram heart test and retina checks.

They will receive a report about their results, providing insights into their general health. It is hoped results will also help researchers identify why South Asian heritage people are at high risk of heart disease, diabetes and other critical illnesses.

Funding for a new school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was approved by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 23 January. 

A total of £14.4 million will be invested in the planned school, which will be located in Didcot. Initial design work has started and the education specification will be published for public consultation in February.

It is intended the school will have capacity to teach 120 children with special educational needs related to autism and/or social, emotional and mental health.

Subject to planning permission, construction work is scheduled to begin in 2025, with a projected opening date of 2026/27.

Lizzie King has been praised by a Royal College for her work on patients with swallowing difficulties.

Lizzie (pictured) who works for the adult speech therapy team at Oxford Health did research on the use of thickened fluids to manage the condition.

It has led to her work being showcased by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.To find our more visit the Trust website 

This is a county-wide pathway into physical activity in Oxfordshire, designed to provide support, advice and guidance to people living with long-term health conditions, helping them to move more and improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Move Together is funded by the ICB and Oxfordshire County Council's Public Health service, and is co-ordinated by Active Oxfordshire in partnership with district councils.

To learn more about the difference that MoveTogether is making please read a blog about Oxford resident, Gemma. 

The Patient Safety Commissioner for England, Dr Henrietta Hughes, visited the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in February to learn about the progress being made at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) around patient safety and quality improvement (she is pictured centre with OUH staff). 

She also visited the Oxford Simulation, Teaching and Research Centre (OxSTaR) to find out about research to improve patient safety.

Those considering a career in care can now access the support of Oxfordshire County Council’s dedicated employment support specialist Raj Sahota (pictured) who is offering free, one to one, independent support.

The county council is working in partnership with Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers to showcase the variety of roles on offer through the joint Proud to Care Oxfordshire website.

As well as a job search tool, the resource includes an email support service for potential applicants, which Raj manages, helping to match people to available positions and support them through the application process.

Over the coming weeks, the county council will be releasing several “Ask Raj” videos on social media, sharing his hints and tips about ways into the care industry.

Free NHS mental health care support is being publicised across Oxfordshire with postcards landing on the doormats of homes across the county.

Oxfordshire NHS Talking Therapies, can help people struggling with feelings of depression, excessive worry, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress or obsessions and compulsions.

The postcards feature key contact details and highlight how people can get effective, confidential and free treatments delivered by trained clinicians, online, on the phone or in person - for more details visit the Trust website here 

The Oxford Muscle Service, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford has been named a Centre of Excellence by national charity Muscular Dystrophy UK.

The honour recognises the neuromuscular centre’s outstanding care provided to patients, as well as the team's commitment to improving health and care for people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

As a multi-disciplinary team (pictured), the service cares for 1,500 patients each year with a broad range of conditions where voluntary muscle and/or sensory nerve function is affected.

Patients, carers and families can recognise and reward exceptional support and care provided by Oxford Health staff.

Nominations for the Oxford Health Staff Awards 2024 are now open and will close 31 March and this year there are two award categories. 

The awards ceremony will be held on 19 June. For more details on how to vote visit the Trust website 

A new unit run by OUH and located in Milton Keynes was officially opened in January.

The 16-bed Whitehouse Dialysis Unit, which treated its first patients in December, provides specialist services closer to home for kidney patients living in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas.

The new facility will save some patients around nine hours in travel time, based on a three hour roundtrip three times a week, for routine treatment at the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.

A total of 64 patients can be treated three times a week in the new unit – that’s the equivalent of up to 768 treatments every month or approximately 10,000 fewer long trips to Oxford each year.

Two patients cut the ribbon to celebrate the official opening (see above) alongside representatives from OUH, Milton Keynes City Council and Milton Keynes University Hospital.

TheHill, the digital innovation team at OUH, has launched a programme which offers nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals the chance to work with early-stage companies and digital innovators to get their healthcare-focused digital innovations off the ground. 

Staff working in healthcare settings across BOB ICB can apply to join TheHill’s Digital Pioneers workshops to empower them with knowledge, skills and motivation to integrate digital tools into their practices. 

Participants can join online workshops throughout April and May – more information and details of how to apply are on TheHill’s website.

The latest Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre newsletter, which features updates on access to dementia research trials, an interview with Amanda Colston, senior research nurse and Oxford Health's Clinical Research Facility team lead, and an online arts and culture intervention project and more is available to view on its website see here 

Nominations are now open for the 2024 governor elections to the Trust.

Becoming a governor is an opportunity for professionals and members of the public to influence their local health care provision.

Nominations close Thursday 28 March. 

Find out more details here 

Maternity services at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a recent inspection.

A CQC report highlights the commitment by staff in maintaining a good rating, and in particular the rating for safety which has increased from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘Good’.

Christine Harding, Director of Midwifery said, "We are very proud to be rated as 'Good' and this inspection shows how our staff are passionate about continuous improvement and making the maternity experience safer and more positive for women and birthing people.

"Being rated as 'Good' for safety is a real testament to the hard work and commitment of the whole team. The inspectors recognised the level of service we provide, ensuring birthing people can access our service when they need it, using services such as our new 24-hour Maternity Assessment Unit."

The report will be published on CQC website from Friday 1 March.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is on the New Hospital Programme and will receive significant investment for a new hospital.

A number of challenges have been identified with redeveloping the hospital for 21^st century care on the current site in Reading and they are exploring alternative sites.  

The Trust wants to involve as many people as possible throughout its work to deliver a new hospital and is keen to hear from staff, patients and the public on what would be important for an alternative site.  

The survey  questionnaire closes on 15 March 2024.

For further information, events and updates on the programme please visit www.buildingberkshiretogether.co.uk

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has launched its first podcast. 

Neurotypes is an opportunity for people to hear authentic stories and valuable insights from both neurodivergent people and NHS clinicians who specialise in neurodiversity.

The podcast will be covering topics such as diagnosis, medication, and the unique experiences of neurodivergent people, with the aim of supporting anyone who is currently waiting for an assessment and those who have recently received a diagnosis.

Listen to the first episode here: https://neurotypes.podbean.com