NHS staff continue to work harder than ever to get services back on track, to get waiting lists down and consistently deliver the best care.

Change is needed and many of the solutions we need are already here, working somewhere in the NHS today.

Since the launch of Change NHS to have the biggest conversation on the future of the NHS, over 100,000 contributions have been made and over 1.5 million visits to change.nhs.uk.

To help finalise the plan, we need to get your views on the emerging ideas from the engagement so far. Please take part in the new priorities for change survey and have your say by Monday 14 April - take part in the survey here 

Whether you have a little to say or a lot, your views, experiences, and ideas will shape immediate steps and long-term changes: a new 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS.

This is being held on Tuesday 11 March 2025 (1.30pm to 4.30pm) in the Council Chamber, Reading Civic Offices, Bridge St, Reading, RG1 2LU

You can join the meeting in person or via an online live stream - the link is available on our ICB website.

Details about the agenda and papers are also available on our website - you can also submit a question relating to agenda items prior to the meeting.

Older people are being urged to get their respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The call to action comes as the NHS advises that RSV is ‘not just a winter illness.’

Invites have been issued to people aged 75-79 or those who turned 80 after 1 September 2024, urging them to book an appointment with their GP for the vaccination.

RSV spreads all year round and can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia or other life-threating conditions. Pregnant women are also eligible for the vaccine from 28 weeks onwards. More details here 

Flu vaccination:
If you are eligible, there is still time to receive a free NHS flu vaccination until 31 March 2025 at a participating community pharmacy (for those aged 18 or over) or, contact your GP surgery to book an appointment for the jab.

In addition, some people may be able to get their free flu vaccine through maternity services, care homes, or their employer for frontline health or social care workers.

HPV vaccine:
Parents and carers are being asked to have their children (aged 12/13) vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus which can lead to some types of cancer. More details here

Whether you’re thinking about quitting, ready to quit, or need help staying smoke free, the NHS has tips and advice to help you at every stage. More details at NHS Better Health to help you kick the habit on No Smoking Day. 

Across BOB you can get support to stop smoking:

• Oxfordshire: https://www.stopforlifeoxon.org/
• Buckinghamshire: Be Healthy Bucks - Home (maximusuk.co.uk)
• Berkshire: Stop Smoking Berkshire | Smokefreelife Berkshire

The NHS is urging more women to make the most of breast screening which plays a crucial role in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. 

A national campaign is highlighting the benefits of screening and to encourage more women to make the most of regular mammograms - figures show more than four in 10 (46.3%) invited for the first time don’t act on their invitation.  More details here 

Lung cancer screening:
People aged 55 to 74, and current or ex smokers are urged to take up the offer of screening to detect lung cancer - more details on the Thames Valley Cancer Alliance website.

As part of a procurement process for a new online consultations system for general practice across BOB, we have launched a short survey to gather patient feedback.  

Taking part in this survey and promoting it via your usual channels and networks will help inform the features and functions of a new system, and may encourage more people to make use of digital options which are easier to use and more consistent.

The survey is open until 16 March 2025 on our 'Your Voice BOB' website. 

If you know a friend or family member who needs support on using a smart phone or laptop to access online health services, encourage them to join a Digital Café.

These are held at convenient locations across BOB each week and offer free informal, one to one support around basic digital skills, with access to digital devices and the internet. To find a Digital Café near you see here

In addition, Oxfordshire County Council will take part in some Digital Cafés in March to show people how to access online support to live more independently. See the story on Digital Cafés in the Oxfordshire section below for more details.   

Share your views on pharmacy services in Oxfordshire and Wokingham to see if they meet your needs. 

For more details and to complete both surveys by 9 March 2025 visit either the Oxfordshire County Council website or the Wokingham Borough Council website

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is celebrating the first anniversary of its Patient Panel.

Roger Batterbury, chair of the Patient Panel, said: “It’s been amazing to see how much the panel has grown and what they’ve achieved in just one year. It’s a real credit to SCAS that this is now in place, bringing the voice of patients into shaping services.”

For more details visit the SCAS website.

Five fully funded places are available on a new Masters level module for NHS innovators in the Thames Valley and Frimley. Application deadline: 14 March 2025.

The programme is delivered over six full days starting April 2025 at the Buckinghamshire New University Uxbridge campus. Supported by Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley. For more details and to apply here

If you are working in adult social care and need a place to live in Buckinghamshire visit the Homestay website.

This service makes it easier for people who are new to the county such as overseas care workers find an affordable place to stay - with colleagues working in this sector. 

Homestay lets social care staff advertise their spare rooms on the website to attract colleagues who need safe and comfortable accommodation. 

However, people will need to register on the website to use this service which is being trialled by the Buckinghamshire Care Providers Association. 

Patients attending outpatient appointments at local hospitals are being invited to take their own blood pressure. 

Patients can use the blood pressure devices available at Wycombe Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Amersham Hospital. 

Many people have no symptoms of high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease and strokes. 

You can also visit Health on the High Street in Unit 33 in Friars Square shopping centre, Aylesbury to access the confidential “Pump it up” kiosk to check your blood pressure. 

More details on the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust website 

An alert sheet has been introduced telling ambulance crews across BOB that the person they are responding to has autism.

It will explain to crews how to make adjustments for a person with autism to help reduce their stress and anxiety while being treated and taken to hospital.

The alert sheet (pictured) is now included in the Lions Club ‘Message in a Bottle’ scheme used by ambulance crews to access vital patient information like their allergies and medication.

This initiative was developed by BOB ICB and the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) and will be piloted in Buckinghamshire in 2025 thanks to the Lions Club of Winslow.

People with autism can download the alert sheet and fill in their details here

Women across Buckinghamshire can now access their maternity records and tailored pregnancy information via a new app called Badger Notes

The app replaces the traditional hand-held paper file to allow women to view a week-by-week timeline of their pregnancy, scheduled appointments and maternity record on an app managed by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. 

The Trust has partnered with digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation to support women who may not have access to data or a mobile device by gifting six months of free data and/or a mobile device if needed. More details here.

Pictured are babies born in the Trust's maternity wards under the new 'Badger Notes' system. 

Buckinghamshire Council is launching a campaign to promote the SEND Local Offer. The campaign aims to signpost Buckinghamshire residents to find SEND information, resources, and support that they need, with or without an Education, Health and Care Plan.

The Buckinghamshire Family Information Service has produced webinars about the Local Offer that you can watch. Or, you can read about the Local Offer on the service website

Congratulations to Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust whose Waddesdon Wing won the 'Best Acute Care Design' in this year’s Healthcare Design Awards.

The building located at Stoke Mandeville Hospital near Aylesbury houses the children’s emergency department alongside other services, and opened in 2023. More details here.

Trust staff are pictured at the awards ceremony collecting their prize. 

Buckinghamshire residents of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage can contribute to vital health research by joining the Genes & Health study  – one of the world’s largest community-based genetics studies.

The study aims to improve future healthcare by helping scientists and doctors better understand diseases that disproportionately affect these communities.

More details on the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust website

Healthwatch Bucks thanks everyone who took part in its Spring Roadshow, and for sharing their views and feedback to help improve local health and social care services.  

As part of the roadshow people had their blood pressure checked for free under the ‘Pump It Up Pressure Partners’ initiative being run in partnership with  Buckinghamshire Council. More details about Healthwatch Bucks here.

The county’s local area partnership (LAP), is hosting three events in March for parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The LAP runs termly SEND Oxfordshire Conversations where service updates are shared and parents and carers can ask questions and provide feedback. The next online sessions are on 18 March (7.30pm - 9pm) and 25 March (12 noon -1.30pm) and people can book now on Let’s talk Oxfordshire to join.

There is also an annual SEND Together event for parents, carers and SEND coordinators to connect and take part in workshops, information sessions, advice clinics and a question and answer panel discussion. Parents can visit OxPCF’s website to book for the next event on 13 March (9am - 3pm) at the King’s Centre, Oxford. 

There are online opportunities to keep up to date. Parents and carers can sign up to receive a SEND e-newsletter to get the latest news from the county council and they can also read OxPCF’s SEND Connect newsletters, which include news and information from across the LAP. And SEND coordinators can sign-up to receive a dedicated e-newsletter. 

SEND partnership improvement information can be found on the county council’s website where people can also access the highlights of activity discussed and agreed at the Strategic Improvement and Assurance Board.

Online support for parents and carers of children with SEND can be found on the county council’s local offer webpages.

Oxfordshire County Council agreed new funding for special educational needs (SEND) and early years support in 2025/26. 

It includes £1 million for the expansion of early years support (under 5s), £2m towards early intervention, £400,000 extra towards SEND home to school transport, and an allocation of £1.141m extra towards special educational needs (SEND) and education, health and care plans (EHCP).

More details on the county council website.

The Healthier Oxford Roadshow is a free drop-in event providing information and support from NHS experts on a range of health topics.

It is being held at Oxford Town Hall, OX1 1BX on Saturday, 15 March (10am – 1pm). 

NHS teams will be available to offer guidance on:

• Cancer screening and prevention.
• Mental health and well-being support.
• Weight management and healthy living.
• Diabetes prevention and more.

A 'Healthy Hamper Giveaway' is on offer for one lucky attendee! No booking required, just turn up and this offer is open to all. More information is available on the Thames Valley Cancer Alliance website

Oxfordshire County Council staff will be joining three Digital Café sessions in March to improve residents' online skills to get them connected and active in their community.

Their blue badge team will also take part to explain disabled parking permit applications, assessments, payment processing, and badge submission for printing.

The county council will join the following sessions:

• Cowley Library – Monday 17 March (10am -12 noon)
• Faringdon White Horse Surgery - Thursday 20 March (10am -12 noon)
• The Health Centre, Wantage – Friday 28 March (10am -11.30am) - please note the blue badge team will not be attending this session. 

Find out more on the county council’s website.

Healthwatch Oxfordshire is holding a webinar on Tuesday 18 March (1pm start) to explain how the NHS works with schools to support mental health and wellbeing of students. 

Speakers will include Holly Chivers, a service manager on mental health support in schools at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. 

Holly will explain the mental health outreach support services available for local secondary schools and pupils. For more details and a Zoom joining link visit Healthwatch Oxfordshire’s website.

Sharon Wells is dedicated to getting patients out of hospital when ready to recover at home or in the community. 

Sharon (pictured) is the discharge matron at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and with the support of collegues ensures patients get home promptly and safely with the right care in place - read more here 

In addition, the Trusted Assessor Service run by Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers helps patients leave hospital promptly and into community care. It assesses patients to give providers a clear picture of someone's health and care needs before they leave hospital for a care setting. 

Since April 2024 the service has enabled swift and timely discharge for over 1,400 patients across 150 care settings. 

Taff Gidi has joined Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust as its new executive director of corporate affairs. 

Taff (pictured) has worked in the NHS since 2015 and joins the Trust from Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust where he was their executive director of governance and risk. 

An ambitious project to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford is due to be completed later this year.

The £38 million scheme includes installing new energy efficiency technologies such as solar PV panels, energy efficient fans in air-handling units, and air-to-water heat pumps.

The scheme is funded by the government to reduce emissions at public sector buildings. 

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has already finished the first phase of the project at its Horton General Hospital in Banbury (pictured with solar panels) which is expected to save 1,200 tonnes of carbon annually.

For more details visit the Trust website

People looking for evidence based psychological therapies for depression and anxiety in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire can now access a cutting-edge AI-powered chatbot alongside other referral routes.

Trialled over the past six months, Limbic helps make mental health support more accessible, flexible and less daunting, while assisting NHS Talking Therapies in meeting the demand for this type of support. Read more

'National Apprenticeship Week' was celebrated last month by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The week included virtual drop-in sessions, and an in-person event: Building Futures – The Power of Apprenticeships (pictured). 

A further event held for 150 apprenticeships at the Trust and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust showcased the joys and challenges of learning via this route - more details here

Move Together is a nationally recognised activity programme for Oxfordshire residents with long term health conditions, and for pregnant and post-natal women.

The initiaitve helps people recover their health and wellbeing including Bernie who was referred to Move Together following a hip replacement - find out more below:

'At the time of being referred, Bernie was in pain, lacking vitality and mobility and was not enjoying life to the full. Thanks to support provided through Move Together, Bernie has benefited from weight loss and muscle gain, feeling more energetic and an improved sense of wellbeing and increase in positivity.

'Bernie plans to continue this positive journey by going walking and hiking with his wife, enjoying more swimming and playing with his grandchildren.'

Bernie is one of thousands of Oxfordshire residents who have benefited from Move Together. To find out more, please visit the Active Oxfordshire website 

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is seeking people to stand as NHS governors.

They represent community interests, work with the Trust's Board to shape priorities, and ensure public voices are heard.

Nominations are now open. To stand or vote, you must be a Trust member (free to join). Two online information sessions are being held in March for people who are interested in this role.

Nominations can be submitted online or by post, phone, or text by Friday, 28 March.  For more details on the online sessions and how to nominate visit the Trust website here

Three nursing students spent time at the Oxford Health Clinical Research Facility in Oxford improving their research skills into treating mental health conditions. 

The students were on a placement from their studies at Oxford Brookes University to gain practical experience in this area of clincal research. For more details about the placement see here 

The awards recognise the incredible people who work for Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust who go above and beyond to support patients and the community.

The People’s Choice Award is a chance for everyone, including patients, their families and carers, or members of the public, to nominate someone who has made a difference - it might be a nurse, or physiotherapist, a receptionist or porter.

For more details visit the Trust website