05 September 2023
 During the colder months, flu and Covid-19 spread more easily as we spend more time indoors. These viruses can have a serious impact on people’s health, which can lead to time in hospital and even death. If you’re eligible, getting your vaccine will help protect you and those around you over the winter months.
From this month onwards, the NHS will be contacting people who are eligible for these vaccinations to come forward for them.
Those most at risk, including adult care home residents, will be the first priority. Other groups eligible for both flu and Covid-19 vaccines include those aged 65+, people with lower immunity, and those in their household.
People who are pregnant are also strongly encouraged to book their flu jab. This will help protect you and your baby and can be done at any stage of pregnancy.
Children aged 2 – 17 will be offered the flu nasal spray or vaccine, and those in school will have the option to have it during their school day.
If you are contacted by the NHS to have your Covid-19 and flu vaccination, please come forward to have them. For more details, FAQs and eligibility information click below.
 Did you know that asthma is the most common long-term medical condition affecting children and young people? One in 11 are affected by the condition, which is around three in every London classroom.
Many have badly managed asthma, with over 20,000 admitted to hospital every year in England. Over four per cent of these have such a severe episode that they are admitted to intensive care.
To coincide with going back to school, Ask About Asthma aims to highlight how making simple changes to children's and young people’s care will make a big difference in how they and their families experience their asthma.
Over the summer, many children forget to use their preventer inhaler or mistakenly think they don’t need to anymore.
However, once children are back in school, asthma hospital admissions increase across Hounslow. Help your child to manage their asthma this year with four simple steps.
Teach them how to use their inhalers correctly, get an asthma action plan in place for them and share with their school, schedule an asthma review with your GP every year and after every attack, and learn your child’s asthma triggers.
 Are you worried about falling at home or are you concerned about a loved one falling at home?
Falls at home can have serious consequences for older people including hip fractures and other injuries.
Hounslow Council wants to support people in our borough who are aged 65 and over to lead safer, confident and independent lives by helping them to reduce the risk of falls at home.
The Council works in partnership with Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare (HRCH) to provide the borough’s Falls Prevention and Bone Health Service.
This free service helps people understand the risk of falling in their homes and provides them with information and guidance on how to reduce these risks.
Anyone who is over 65 and has fallen or is concerned about falling can self-refer to the service. That means you can speak to your GP about it or give the team a call and they will take it from there.
If you are concerned about falling at home or are worried about a friend or family member, you can speak to your GP or call the Hounslow Falls Prevention Service directly on 020 8614 5490 or email: hrch.hounslowfallsservice@nhs.net
 You can get your blood pressure checked for free in Hounslow as part of Know Your Numbers week.
The national event began on Monday and offers everyone the chance to find out what they can do to manage their own blood pressure and avoid hypertension.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, can cause significant problems if left unchecked. In many cases, there are no symptoms of high blood pressure, until it’s too late.
The condition can lead to serious conditions such as heart attacks, stroke and kidney disease. Last year in Hounslow, almost 40,000 residents were diagnosed with hypertension.
Once identified, high blood pressure is easily treated through medication and lifestyle changes.
For Know Your Numbers Week, anyone who is aged 18 or over can get their blood pressure checked with Healthy Hounslow on its roving health bus.
The bus will visit venues across the borough during Know Your Numbers Week. Residents who are age 40 and over can get their blood pressure checked at any of the borough’s participating pharmacies.
 Hounslow Council and its health and care partners are urging borough residents to take a short online training course to improve awareness about suicide.
In the run-up to World Suicide Prevention Day on Sunday, 10 September, the Council has joined forces with a range of partners, including North West London NHS, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and Ealing and Hammersmith and Fulham Councils to raise awareness about the issue.
In London, around 10 people each week take their own lives. The big question is: If you knew someone was in crisis, would you know what to say?
Working with the city-wide mental health partnership, Thrive LDN, the Council is promoting the Zero Suicide Alliance’s free online training course. This helps people to spot the signs that someone might be feeling suicidal. The 20-minute course takes the viewer through a series of scenarios and offers guidance on how to open a conversation with someone you are concerned about.
 As part of a new partnership with the Royal Association for Deaf People, the Council will be providing a new drop-in service for residents.
Face-to-face appointments will be available at Hounslow House (Room 16, first floor) every Tuesday for the next six months, offering advice, guidance and information on:
- Filling in forms for benefits
- Translating English to BSL
- Making telephone calls Understanding bills
- General enquiries
Residents will also be sign-posted to specific services where necessary. For more information, please email or send a BSL video to: HounslowIAG@royaldeaf.org.uk
 Good Thinking’s Student Mental Health Hub supports students across London in maintaining positive mental health. In the hub, students will find:
- Advice, tips and tools to help with stress, anxiety, low mood and sleep problems
- Exclusive free access to NHS-approved mental wellbeing apps
- Practical tips for student life, such as advice on starting university and coping with money worries
- A guide to looking out for friends who may be struggling with their mental health
- Quick quizzes and clinically validated self-assessments for personalised advice and recommendations
- Information about other free mental health services and support lines available, including advice on seeking urgent and crisis care.
For more information about the service and to access free NHS-approved support and resources, visit Good Thinking.
 TravelWise Week is a worldwide, week-long travel challenge where everyone is invited to Travel Wisely.
It runs from Saturday, 16 to Friday, 22 September and everyone in Hounslow can join in for the chance to win a European city break and a share of £250 in BetterPoints.
TravelWise Week promotes walking/wheeling, cycling, public transport, and other clean and healthy transport choices, and culminates in World Car Free Day, when everyone is encouraged to find an alternative mode of travel for that day, and then beyond.
BetterPoints is the Hounslow-based app that allows users to win points for physical activity that can then be swapped for shopping vouchers or charitable donations.
To start your TravelWise journey and be in with a chance of winning the star prize, you can download the BetterPoints app and get moving.
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