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6 September 2024
In this issue:
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A warm welcome to the September edition of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) monthly newsletter. Our newsletter highlights BOB ICB news, national news, and items of interest from each of our three Places: Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West. We hope you find it informative and we welcome your suggestions and feedback for future editions. To contact us please email bobicb.media-team@nhs.net
Please forward the newsletter to anyone in your networks who you feel might be interested in local health and care; they can also receive the newsletter directly by clicking the 'subscribe' link at the end of this email. Thank you, BOB ICB Communications and Engagement Team.
Chief Executive appointed at BOB ICB
Dr Nick Broughton has been appointed the Chief Executive at BOB ICB.
Nick (pictured) has worked at the ICB for just over a year as the interim Chief Executive and has brought a wealth of experience to the organisation.
Nick was previously Chief Executive at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and before that Chief Executive at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, where he led the organisation from a Care Quality Committee rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ in 2017 to ‘Good’ in January 2020.
Nick said: “I have greatly enjoyed my secondment to the ICB over the last 13 months and am delighted that my appointment has now been made permanent. I am looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues at the ICB, system partners and our wider stakeholders building on the foundations and relationships we have in place.
"Together we will help to create a system that is clinically led and delivers the best possible care and outcomes to the population we serve; within the financial resources we have available to us.”
For more details on Nick's appointment please visit the BOB ICB website here
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Join us for the next BOB ICB meeting in public
This is being held on Tuesday 17 September at the Council Chamber, Wokingham Borough Council, Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN.
You can join the meeting in person or through an online live stream - a link will be available shortly on our website here
Details about the agenda and papers will be made available closer to the meeting on our website here - you can also submit a question relating to agenda items prior to the meeting.
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Winter vaccines: flu and Covid-19 boosters, RSV vaccine
Flu booster: 2 and 3-year-olds, school age children and pregnant women are the first cohorts to be offered the flu vaccine in early September. If you or a loved one receive an invite, please make sure you both book one.
Cohorts also include frontline health and social care staff (who can self-declare if their organisation is not offering vaccinations), unpaid carers, people aged 65+, and those with long term health conditions. Read more here: Immunisation and vaccination - Stay Well (staywell-bob.nhs.uk)
Covid-19 booster: starting 3 October eligible cohorts will again be invited by the NHS to book via the national booking system or at GP practices. We may also arrange some pop-up clinics so check our Stay Well site (see link below). Also, watch for an NHS invite if you are age 65+ or aged 6 months to 64 years old in a clinical risk group. Read more here: Seasonal vaccines - Stay Well (staywell-bob.nhs.uk)
RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus): a new vaccine programme to help reduce the number of respiratory infections for those most at risk of complications if they become unwell. Cohorts include women at least 28 weeks pregnant (on 1 Sept) via maternity services, and adults aged 75-79 (on 1 Sept) will be vaccinated by their GP from 1 September. Read more here: Immunisation and vaccination - Stay Well (staywell-bob.nhs.uk)
Supporting national materials, BOB ICB is producing additional, localised resources to download and share. These are now available on Stay Well and will be avaiable on our YouTube channel over winter.
You can view more information on the availability of these vaccinations, the eligibility criteria and how to book by visiting here
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GP practices remain open during 'collective action'
We are still urging the public to come forward as usual for care during collective action by GP practices which started in August this year.
Practices remain open and patients should continue to contact their practice as normal and attend a scheduled appointment at their surgery unless told otherwise.
More advice can be found on the BOB ICB website
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‘Know Your Numbers’ week: 2-8 September
The campaign encourages you to check your blood pressure to stay healthy.
Making small lifestyle changes to control your blood pressure might have a big impact on your health as the condition may lead to stroke and heart disease.
This year, Blood Pressure UK are promoting home monitoring, a cheap and effective way to keep your blood pressure in check.
However, if you are aged 40 and over, you can still get a free blood pressure check at some pharmacies across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West - to find your nearest one see Google maps here
For more details about managing high blood pressure visit the BOB ICB Stay Well webpage.
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NHS 111 offering crisis mental health support
Patients experiencing a mental health crisis can now benefit from support through 111
The change means the NHS in England is one of the first countries in the world to offer access to a 24/7 full package of mental health crisis support through one single phone line.
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.
NHS staff can guide callers with next steps such as organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternatives services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to A&E or a hospital admission.
For more details visit the NHS England website here
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Jeffrey recognised for his planning excellence
Congratulations to Jeffrey Ng (pictured) who was commended at the Royal Town Planning Institute south-east regional awards.
Jeffrey is a senior primary care estates manager at BOB ICB and was praised in the Young Planner of the Year category.
This was for his hard work ensuring local plans such as new housing projects include the provision of essential health services like GP practices to maintain healthy communities. Judges also commented on how his dedication to public service makes him an excellent role model for other planners.
Jeffrey brings town planning skills to the ICB enabling closer working with our council partners on local plans and planning projects so maximising contributions from developers towards our primary care estate.
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Registered patients break two million mark
The total number of patients registered at GP practices across BOB ICB has risen to just over 2 million.
The ICB is responsible for funding and providing health services for anyone who is registered with a GP practice across BOB irrespective of where they live.
This number is higher than the documented population of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West which currently stands at about 1.8 million as defined by the Office for National Statistics.
There are many advantages of registering with a local practice including having access to medical advice and support, being able to have a free flu vaccination if you are at risk from the illness, and being able to get mental health support.
For information on how to register at a GP practice visit the NHS website here
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Artificial Intelligence to provide swifter skin cancer diagnoses
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is implementing a Skin Analytics’ artificial intelligence device, DERM at its Skin Centre at Amersham Hospital.
This is aimed at reducing the number of appointments patients with non-cancerous skin lesions need to attend.
This allows more time for dermatologists and plastic surgeons to see patients with skin cancer more quickly.
For more information visit the Trust website here
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New radiology facility unveiled
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has officially opened its new Interventional Radiology Suite - the official launch is pictured.
Patients in Buckinghamshire will now be uniquely placed to benefit from the very specialist procedures it enables. It is one of only two such radiology suites in the country. More details here
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More patients satisfied with their care at hospital trust
The results of the Care Quality Commissions (CQC) 2023 inpatient survey have been published.
It reveals the CQC highlighted eight trusts which it felt had significantly improved their scores, including Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust whose score on patient satisfaction climbed from 7.8 to 8.1. You can read more details of the survey on the Trust website here
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Celebrating 80 years of the spinal injuries centre and Paralympics 2024
Patients, families, friends and staff celebrated 80 years of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at the Stoke Mandeville Hospital near Aylesbury and the lighting of the torch for this year’s Paralympics.
As part of the celebrations held over the August bank holiday, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust organised a 24-hour table tennis-a-thon, a bake-off and street party. You can find out more about the events on the Trust website here
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Healthcare programme shortlisted for two prestigious national awards
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is delighted to announce that its innovative Lipid Optimisation Programme has been shortlisted for the Data Driven Transformation Award at the HSJ Awards and in the Health Inequalities category at this year’s NHS Parliamentary Awards. The programme is a collaborative working project conducted in partnership with Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK.
For more details visit the Trust website here
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Aged 40-74? Get your free health check
Getting an NHS Health Check is a great way to stay on top of your health. It's a simple process that can give you peace of mind and help you stay healthy.
Health Checks Oxfordshire provide free NHS health checks on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council at convenient community-based locations across the county, including libraries.
This is in support of existing GP practice provision, making it easier than ever to get one. Book your free NHS Health Check with Health Checks Oxfordshire online today.
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New defibrillator to protect against cardiac arrest
A new device that enhances the treatment of abnormal heart rhythms and prevention of sudden cardiac arrests is now being used at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Cardiac patients in the Heart Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, who have had or are at risk of developing life-threatening arrhythmias, can be given a new type of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which offers advantages over currently available ICDs.
The key difference with this new device is that the wire, which allows the heart and device to communicate, is located behind the breastbone instead of in the heart.
ICDs, which are implanted under the skin and soft tissues in the chest, monitor a patient's heart rhythm continuously. If the patient develops a fast, dangerous heart rhythm – a cardiac arrest – the device can deliver a life-saving electric shock to the heart and prevent them from dying.
Pictured is the clinical team in the Heart Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital.
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Activity programmes to include early years and maternity
In September 2024, existing activity programmes YouMove and Move Together are expanding to include early years and maternity offers for the first time.
YouMove will now include a new activity offer for under 5s, working in partnership with Oxfordshire Home-Starts. Families with under 5s facing barriers to activity can benefit from low cost and free activities including swimming, soft play, local community activities and lots more - for more details see here
Move Together will expand to provide support for women who are pregnant or post natal. Move Together teams in each district will provide tailored support and advice to help Oxfordshire women stay active during their pregnancy and beyond - for more details see here
It is part of Oxfordshire’s whole system approach to activity, which sees BOB ICB, Public Health, Active Oxfordshire and city and district councils working together to help thousands of Oxfordshire residents at highest risk of inactivity protect their health and well-being.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhances post-operative care for cataract surgery patients
A new study by researchers at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust has found that an AI conversational agent enhances patient care after cataract surgery.
The AI automated voice system, Dora, is able to call patients to ask them questions, understand their answers, and accurately identify which patients require further medical assessment.
Dora’s decision-making accurately prioritises those patients who need additional clinical input and frees up the time of clinical staff to focus on more complex or serious cases.
An updated version of Dora is now OUH’s default system for post-cataract surgery assessment and is also being used for pre-operative assessments.
BBC News Online has highlighted both Dora and an AI tool developed at OUH to predict heart attacks
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Fresh insights into local projects
Graduate students, academics and local policy partners met in July at the Blavatnik School of Government in Oxford for the inaugural Local Policy Fellowship Programme.
The programme is part of the Local Policy Lab, the new alliance between the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and Oxfordshire County Council.
It allows students and researchers to engage with their local communities and to better understand the public policy for the city and local environment.
Discussions ranged from exploring opportunities for improving people's health by growing vegetables in NHS hospitals, assessing the potential for mapping the quality of greenspace in Oxfordshire to identifying ways for schools to reduce levels of carbon. Find out more at Oxfordshire County Council’s website.
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Share your views on the future of Warneford Hospital in Oxford
You can join a drop in session in September to find out more information on plans to redevelop the hospital and site.
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust manages the hospital located in Headington which delivers mental health care.
The Trust along with the University of Oxford and another partner are proposing to develop a new mental health hospital and a major brain health research and innovation campus at the site.
In addition, the partners want to develop a post-graduate college for the university on the site focusing on medical sciences, bio-engineering and related disciplines.
You can find out more at three drop-in sessions being held at the Day Centre based at the front entrance of the Warneford Hospital, OX3 7JX. Members of the project team will be on-hand to answer questions and you will be able to share your views on the proposals on the following dates:
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Thursday 12 September (4pm-8pm)
- Friday 13 September (1pm-6pm)
- Saturday 14 September (9am-2pm).
If you have any questions or require further details email: warnefordpark@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
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Webinar to lift the lid on health and care services
Healthwatch Oxfordshire is holding a webinar on Tuesday 17 September (12pm-1pm) focusing on new ways of delivering health and care services so people stay at home longer and leave hospital quicker.
Guest speakers include Dan Leveson, BOB ICB's Oxfordshire Place Director, and Karen Fuller, Corporate Director of Adult Services at Oxfordshire County Council.
They will describe these new services which include urgent community response, hospital at home, integrated neighbourhood teams and discharge to assess. It is part of the Health and Social Care Connections programme which is ongoing and finishes in mid-October 2024.
During the webinar, you can also share your experiences of using local health and social care services and ask questions to the panel. Everyone is welcome to take part via this Zoom link.
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More flexible short breaks service rolled out
Adults with learning disabilities in Oxfordshire have helped to redesign a service that will offer them more choice and flexibility around their short break options.
The adult learning disability short break programme has been coproduced with people who use the service and their families and carers. It will offer breaks in traditional settings and through more flexible community based solutions.
With the support of organisations including My Life, My Choice and Oxfordshire Family Support Network, the adults’ short breaks service has been completely redesigned, helping to put people with learning disabilities in control of their support options.
Find out more on the Oxfordshire County Council’s website.
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Partnership projects get awards nominations
We are delighted that our BOB ICB 'Oxfordshire Place-Based Partnership' has been shortlisted in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards, recognising an outstanding contribution to local healthcare.
The two nominations include:
- Working in partnership by jointly commissioning and delivering activity programmes for those at highest risk of physical inactivity and health inequality.
- Oxfordshire Health and Homelessness Inclusion Team which supports planned, safe discharges from hospital for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
The winners will be announced at an HSJ awards event in November 2024. For more details on the nominations visit the BOB ICB website here
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OUH Annual Public Meeting – Thursday 26 September
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) Annual Public Meeting takes place on Thursday 26 September at Oxford Town Hall – refreshments will be available from 5.30pm and the meeting will start at 6pm.
It will include presentations on a groundbreaking treatment for patients at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre (NOC) in Oxford and the new Targeted Lung Health Checks service which has started at the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Everyone is welcome to attend – pre-event registration is available via Eventbrite.
Questions for the Trust Board can be asked during the Q&A session at the Annual Public Meeting or submitted in advance via apmquestions@ouh.nhs.uk.
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Health and wellbeing boost with workshop funding
The future is bright for a community workshop in the heart of Charlbury after the centre secured a £2,750 grant through Oxfordshire County Council’s connected communities fund.
The new community hub officially opened in April this year and supports the health and wellbeing of local residents by bringing them together to craft, recycle and repurpose second hand items, giving members a sense of belonging and purpose.
Last year’s county council grant has enabled trustees and volunteers from Charlbury community workshop to officially launch the centre and budget for its running costs for the next 12 months.
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Patient safety innovation shortlisted for a national award
A life-saving Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust initiative to manage post-operative bleeding has been shortlisted in two categories of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards.
The SCOOP Protocol for emergency management of neck haematoma following thyroid surgery was developed to manage and mitigate the risks associated with post-operative bleeding.
This protocol, now internationally recognised, has become a cornerstone in national guidelines and has been shortlisted in the Deteriorating Patients and Rapid Response Initiative of the Year and Patient Safety Education and Training Award categories of the HSJ Safety Awards.
The winners will be announced at the awards event on 16 September.
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Oxford Health's Annual General Meeting - 10 September
This year’s Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust Annual Members Meeting and Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 10 September at Didcot Civic Hall, OX11 7HN (6-8pm). To book your place and find out more about the evening’s agenda visit the Trust website here
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Nominate a nurse for a DAISY award
Have you or a family member received amazing care from an Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust nurse? If the answer is yes, then nominate them for an international DAISY Award.
The award is an international recognition programme that honours and celebrates the skillful and compassionate care provided by nurses.
The Trust employs around 2,000 nurses who are eligible to be nominated and so far, in the three years that it has been running the scheme, there have been 30 winners and 40 who have received highly commended certificates. Find out more on the Trust website here.
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Smiles all round at 10th annual 'Have a Go' festival
This year’s event marked a decade of providing people with a learning disability the chance to overcome some of the barriers they can experience when taking part in sports.
About 180 people took part in the 'Have a Go' sporting activities including cycling, archery, football, dancing and cricket at Horspath Athletics Track in Oxford.
The event was hosted by the Learning Disability Service at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and Active Oxfordshire. Organisations who made the event possible included MOLA, the new Family and Community Partner for Oxford United FC and Oxford United in the Community, and Cyclability. More details on the Trust website here.
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2024 Community Mental Health Survey
The NHS has launched a major survey on people’s experiences of using mental health services. People who have used Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust's mental health services in April or May 2024, could be invited to give their feedback on the quality of support they received.
In last year’s survey the Trust received 297 responses from adults aged 16 and over, to say what was working well and what required improvement. For more details visit the Trust website here
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Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inpatient survey results
The CQC has issued the results of their annual survey, looking at the level of care experienced by patients whilst staying in hospital. It reveals the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust ranked fourth out of 131 NHS acute trusts in England around patient experience. It was also ranked joint most improved Trust when compared to last year’s results. More details here
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NHS chaplain thanked on telly
The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust was featured on the BBC One’s ‘The One Show’ in August.
It was part of the show's ‘One Big Thank You’, and Monica Galetti their TV chef surprised Rupee Chagar, Chaplain at the Trust, to highlight her incredible work at the Trust and her support of the local community in Reading.
A short feature on Rupee’s work can be viewed on YouTube here You can also watch the ‘The One Show’ episode which featured Rupee and broadcast on Thursday 22 August here
Pictured (l/r) Sarah Bailey (Trust's Head of Midwifery), Rupee Chagar, Monica Galetti, and Steve McManus, the Trust's Chief Executive.
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Berkshire Healthcare shortlisted for 'Trust of the Year' award
This is part of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Awards, recognising Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's outstanding contribution to mental and community healthcare across the county.
The awards are the largest annual benchmarking and recognition programme for the health sector. An unprecedented 1,350 entries were received for this year’s awards across all categories.
For more details on the Trust's entry see here
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Inspiring Ireland's policymakers about veterans' mental health
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust recently hosted a group from Ireland’s Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (ONE) who came on a fact-finding mission to learn more about the Trust’s trailblazing OpCOURAGE mental health service.
They were met by Dr Jonathan Leach, NHS England's armed forces health commissioning director, alongside senior leaders and clinicians from Berkshire Healthcare, including Alex Gild, Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Deborah Lee, Regional Head of Service for OpCOURAGE and Dan Brooks, Armed Forces Lead.
The OpCOURAGE team shared how the service is set up and delivered, how they tailor treatment to the experiences of veterans, and how they have helped improve the lives of local people. For more details visit the Trust website here
Pictured (l/r) Dan Brooks, Trust's Armed Forces Lead and Senator Gerrard Craughwell.
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Celebrating the LGBTQ+ community at Reading Pride
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust took part in Reading Pride's annual parade and event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community in August.
This year for the first time, the Trust's Health Bus joined the parade and it also served as a space for people to have health checks carried out at the event.
Trust staff across a range of services volunteered on the day at the PrideInU space including sexual health, talking therapies, and neurodiversity teams who provided advice and shared information about services.
The event was a valuable opportunity for the Trust to engage with the local community about the healthcare it provides, and also promote how it is an inclusive employer, including sharing information about the staff Pride Network.
For more details about the day visit the Trust website here
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Trust reaches finals in two award categories
The Health Service Journal (HSJ) has announced the finalists of their annual national awards. Two teams at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust have reached their respective finals: the Elderly Care Department in the Patient Safety category, and the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Team in the Staff Wellbeing category. More details on the Trust website
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We hope you find the information in here useful.
Please email bobicb.media-team@nhs.net with any queries and we will get back to you as possible.
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