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Welcome to the October edition. In this issue, the following topics are covered:
- Conversation about the future of the NHS
- Call out to women aged 40 - 55
- Children’s flu vaccine catch-up clinics
- Bowel screening for 50 year olds
- Reduce your stroke risk
- What do you want to give up?
- Tips to prevent child drownings at home
- Free family water safety sessions
- UKHSA advice for people celebrating Diwali
- Scams warning
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The Secretary of State for Health has called on the nation to share their experiences of our health service and help shape the government’s 10 Year Health Plan.
Members of the public, as well as NHS staff and experts, will be invited to share their experiences, views and ideas for fixing the NHS via the Change NHS online platform. This will be live until the start of next year, and available via the NHS App.
The government’s 10 Year Health Plan which will be published in spring 2025 and will be underlined by 3 big shifts in healthcare: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.
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Women of Dudley aged 40 - 55, do you have an hour to spare?
Around 50% of women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis.
We are looking for women in this age group to join a small, friendly group for a cuppa and chat, to help shape a women’s bone health campaign.
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If your child has missed their free flu vaccination, don’t worry, they can still be protected. Primary and secondary school pupils can have the painless nasal spray (a little squirt up the nose) at catch-up clinics.
- Ask your school when the vaccinators are in again.
- Find out about drop-in clinics in the community.
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Great news. Bowel Screening is now available from 50 years old (previously 60 years old). This will offer another 10 years of screening prevention against bowel cancer.
Make sure you take this opportunity when you receive your kit in the post, especially if you have had bowel cancer in the family.
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Did you know that up to 90% of strokes are preventable?
Here's what you can do to help stop yourself from having a stroke.
- Check your pulse regularly. If it is not even and steady, call 999
- Know your blood pressure. Have it taken at least every five years. If it is high, take any medicine you are prescribed
- Stop smoking
For more advice on stroke awareness, recognising symptoms and how to act FAST to save a life, go to the Healthy Dudley stroke page.
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October is a time for reflection on the past year as we move into the colder months, and it is also a month with two very important messages to help improve your health
Thousands of people will have been using October to stop smoking for Stoptober or go without alcohol for Sober October. It’s a great time to give something up with the support of others around you.
Both habits have a massive impact on your health and finances. If you visit our new Drink Coach website you can take the Alcohol Test to find out how risky your drinking is. More advice can be found on the Healthy Dudley stop smoking pages and alcohol pages.
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A national charity has issued a safety warning, as new data shows that on average one child a month drowns at home in England.
The Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), a leading charity in water safety, is urging everyone to help raise awareness of the risks associated with water in the home.
The charity’s warning comes as its latest Child Drowning Update reports that a total of 125 children have drowned in the last four years, including 51 at home. The report also highlights that two out of three drownings that occurred at home did so in the bath, and that most of the children affected were aged under five years old.
The most common issue linked to the drownings was a lack of adult supervision - in 86% of cases the child was unsupervised at the time of the incident.
RLSS UK has issued the following advice:
- Always keep young children within arm’s reach in the bath.
- Never leave your child under the supervision of siblings in the bath. If you need to leave the bathroom, take the child with you.
For hints, tips and advice for families for happy, safe bath times, go to Splash Safety at your Pad.
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Is your child in years five or six at primary school? Are they a weak or non-swimmer? If so, come along to free family water safety sessions taking place at Halesowen and Duncan Edwards leisure centres.
Sessions take place at:
- Halesowen Leisure Centre: Tuesday 29 October and 5 November, 6.30pm - 7pm
- Duncan Edwards Leisure Centre: Saturday 26 October, 12.30pm - 1pm
The sessions are run in partnership with Active Black Country and MUST be pre-booked.
Why is it so important?
Research shows that 48% of primary school leavers - 7884 children across the Black Country, are unable to rescue themselves if they got into difficulties in water.
The sessions aim to raise awareness of water safety, how to stay safe around water and provide vital survival skills.
More information
For further information and to book, contact Claire Porter, Water Safety Coordinator at Active Black Country, claire.porter@activeblackcountry.co.uk or Danielle Gubats danielle.gubats@dudley.gov.uk
For more information about borough leisure centres go to the DBL website or follow DB Leisure on Facebook.
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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging all eligible people preparing for Diwali to get their flu and COVID-19 vaccination, to ensure a safe and healthy celebration.
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Reports have come through of people being called or messaged to apply for money from the. Household Support Fund, or to click on links for an unexpected ‘living allowance’ payment. These are scams.
If you receive a phone call, text message or email from an unknown person:
- Always be suspicious
- Never click on a link
- Never give out personal details, especially anything to do with your bank account
- Don’t call them back on a phone number that they give you
Scammers want to steal your money, your identity, or both, so do not give them the details they are asking for.
If you are asked to apply for a loan, please note, Dudley Council does not offer Household Support Fund loans and would never contact you to ask you to apply for one.
If you think you may have been a victim of a scam, you can report this to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service.
If you have shared your bank details in error, notify your bank as soon as possible.
For details of the legitimate Household Support Fund and other sources of cost of living support for Dudley residents, go to the cost of living web pages on Dudley Council’s website.
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