The Winter Vaccination Programme, which offers flu and Covid-19 vaccines, is underway in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

Children are amongst the first groups to be offered a flu vaccine as the NHS steps up its life-saving vaccination programme to protect people against viruses ahead of winter.

Those most vulnerable are the priority for vaccinations such as care home residents and immunosuppressed individuals. Following that, eligible adults will be offered both flu and Covid-19 vaccinations to maximise protection across the winter months and into the new year. Read more.

A Prescription Prepayment Certificate covers all NHS prescriptions for a set pre-paid price, or spread over 10 direct debit payments. People on a low income could be entitled to help with costs or free prescriptions through the low income scheme, depending on your circumstances.

You can check if you’re eligible for free prescriptions at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check or find out more about the Prescription Prepayment Certificates at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/ppc.

Congratulations to Pauline Grant, Associate Director, Organisational Development, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care System (ICS), who has been named as a finalist in the International Positive Psychology Association’s (IPPA) fifth annual Positive Organizational Intervention Challenge.

Pauline was presented with recognition of her outstanding submission ‘Addressing Differential Attainment Through a Positive Psychology Lens: Introduction of a Strengths-Based Inclusive Mentoring Workshop for Clinical Educational Supervisors’ at the IPPA’s recent World Congress in Vancouver, Canada. Read more.

A new vaccine is now available to guard more people against a painful illness that is particularly prevalent among older adults. Shingles is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox, which mostly affects children. The virus remains dormant within people after they recover from chickenpox but can reactivate in later life as shingles.

Before September only people aged 70-80 were offered vaccination against shingles. But from Friday 01 September that has been extended to anyone turning 65 or 70 years. Anyone aged 70 to 80 who hasn’t already been vaccinated, as well as people aged over 50 who are immunocompromised, are also eligible. In addition to protection being offered to more people, a new vaccine, known as Shingrix, is being introduced. Read more.

We need your support to develop our NHS health research bus. 

We are buying a NHS health research bus to make it easier for people to take part in health and care research in our region.

The health research bus will visit easy-to-reach locations closer to you and will be managed by the research delivery team at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

Please help us by completing this survey.

MNVP is a partnership that plays an integral role in shaping local maternity and neonatal care across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Comprised of a team of dedicated volunteers the MNVP works together to review and contribute to the development and improvement of local maternity and neonatal care.

MNVP is always looking for new volunteers to take on this important work and is currently actively increasing the number of champions across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Find out more information and register your interest to join here.

A partnership initiative between North Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent GPs (North Staffordshire GP Federation) and University Hospitals of North Midlands has led to more patients being seen quicker without waiting unnecessarily in the Trust’s Emergency Department.

The reception team at Royal Stoke University Hospital’s A&E is now able to access the clinical notes used by primary care across North Staffordshire. This means that if a patient in sent to A&E by their GP, Haywood Hospital or Moorlands Hospital in Leek the necessary information is readily available to hand without the patient needing to repeat their details and symptoms. Read more.

The first years of a child’s life are incredibly important to their health. We all want to give our children the best start to life and for them to be happy, healthy and thrive as they grow. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure they get protection from illness through immunisation.

We want to help parents and carers understand which immunisations their children will be offered and when. With so much going on for parents and carers of young children, we want to make it as easy as possible for them to know when their children are due immunisations. We have created an at-a-glance visual resource to support this, which can be found here, Read more.

People living in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent have now got the option to self-refer to NHS audiology (hearing) services if they are eligible.

Normally, people would need to have an appointment with their GP in order to get a referral. However, as of the 29 September, the NHS Integrated Care Board for the area is making it easier for people to access the service.

Some people with more urgent issues may still need to go to see their GP to get a referral, but patients can quickly check if they are eligible to self-refer by answering a few questions about their hearing problem. Find out more about the self-referral service here.  

Expecting mothers and their loved ones can look forward to a brighter and more relaxing birthing experience thanks to UHNM Charity. Twelve rooms, including delivery rooms, the birthing pool and communal areas at the Midwife Birth Centre at Royal Stoke have been given a new lease of life thanks to UHNM Charity funding. The Centre’s rooms, including four in the Blossom Suite for induced labours, has been transformed using giant wall murals which feature scenes from the natural world. Read more.

Tucked away in a residential area in Stoke-on-Trent, is the Restoration Shack. This Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up and run as a community project. The CIC now accepts a wide range of referrals from people struggling with mental health problems, learning disabilities, substance misuse issues or those experiencing social isolation.

Within the Shack the team provide activities for volunteers to learn new skills and build their confidence. They upcycle and restore wooden furniture to a standard where it can then be sold on in the shop based in the same building. Read more.

An NHS digital director has been recognised as one of the very top technology leaders in the UK.

Judges at the prestigious CIO 100 Awards UK ranked Martyn Perry, Director of Digital Transformation and Deputy Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO) at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), as second in the Top 100 of the best and brightest CIOs and technology leaders across the public and private sector. Read more.