Latest news with #IntegratedCareBoard
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Norfolk health boss warns heatwave will impact county's NHS
A medical director says the amber health alert issued across the East of England will have an "impact across the whole of the health service". The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat health alert for all English Frankie Swords, medical director of the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, said: "When the heat gets really really intense like this that means there is going to be an impact across the whole of the health service."Suffolk became the first place in the UK to officially enter a heatwave on Thursday after temperatures passed 27C for the third day in a row. Alerts are in place across the whole of England until 09:00 BST on Swords told BBC Radio Norfolk: "Most of us look forward to sunshine, and when we are sensible and careful, it is great."Hospitals, GPs, community pharmacies, 111; they are all going to be busy."We are always looking at 'how is that going to affect our demands', and we try to play accordingly." Dr Swords advised people to close their curtains if windows were facing the sun, and when it got cooler to open windows to let the air in. "It is simple things like turning off unnecessary electrical items," she added. The Met Office declare a heatwave if a threshold temperature is met for at least three consecutive days.A temperature of 29.3C (about 85F) was recorded in Santon Downham, near Brandon in Suffolk, on Marham, Norfolk, a temperature of about 30C (86F) is expected on Saturday. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Government urged to help save Hinckley hospital frontage
A council leader has written to the health secretary in a bid to preserve the historic frontage of a Hinckley NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board plans to demolish the Victorian frontage of Hinckley and District Hospital, in Mount Road, as part of its proposal to build a new £10.5m day case May, Stuart Bray, leader of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, expressed his "deep disappointment" but the board said it was unable to retain it due to clinical requirements of the Bray has asked Wes Streeting to extend the funding deadline to enable time to find a design solution with the board. The new medical facility is designed to deliver services including gynaecology, urology and plastic surgery and will be linked to the new community diagnostic centre at the site. In his letter to the health secretary, Bray said he "warmly" welcomed government investment for improved NHS facilities in the town following decades of campaigning, However he also highlighted that the hospital building's facade was part of the town's heritage and the demolition was causing concerns said he had met with the project team, who informed him any delay or changes to the proposed design would result in the funding being withdrawn."They tell me that your department has set a hard deadline of next spring for spending of the budget on this project," he said."I am therefore writing to ask you to consider asking your officials to work with myself, planning and conservation officers and the local community to look again at the design."At the very least I would ask for a commitment to ensure that the funding for the scheme is safeguarded to enable local discussions to proceed."Bray added he would be happy to discuss the matter with Streeting and invited him to visit Hinckley. 'Benefits outweigh loss' A planning application to demolish the entire hospital was submitted to the borough council in May.A spokesperson for the board said: "The option of retaining the Victorian frontage of the hospital unfortunately would have meant that the business care objectives and clinical requirements for the development of the new facilities would not be met. "The proposed materials do include reclaimed bricks from the current building and we consider that the heritage impact of the scheme will be outweighed by the benefits to the public."Hinckley and Bosworth MP Dr Luke Evans supported the plans, adding the current building was "no longer fit for purpose"."To ignore the realities facing us and request a delay at such a late stage in the process, after the NHS has put time and money into creating these plans, risks our community losing this funding and access to vital local healthcare services altogether," he response to Bray's letter, the Department of Health said: "We are pleased to be providing more than £7m for a day case unit in Hinckley which will greatly benefit patients and the community."The funding is due to be spent this financial year with delivery scheduled by February 2026."Any requests for further funding or to change or delay the scope of the project, would have to be made through the appropriate channels for consideration.A public consultation on the development ended on 13 June.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Reading town centre's urgent care centre to move to hospital
An urgent care centre set up to ease the pressure on Reading's A&E is to close two-and-a-half years after opening. The facility in Broad Street Mall allows people with urgent but not life threatening conditions to get treatment by walking in off the street, although patients can also pre-book hope was it would lead to a sharp drop in the number of people turning up at the Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) - but figures show the centre has not had the desired is not the end of the project though as a new urgent care centre will open in the hospital itself. People will need to call NHS 111 before they can be referred. Figures collected in the first year of the service running showed that even when more people turned up at the centre looking for help they were matched by similar rises at the hospital itself.A report by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, which oversees the current urgent care centre, said it saw no significant improvement in the number of patients seen by doctors at the RBH's A&E after the centre was opened. As for the new urgent care centre, the care board said: "By being closer to the RBH's Accident and Emergency department, the urgent care centre will be able to treat those patients who need to be seen on the same day but who don't need the specialist support of the A&E team."The service will ensure patients are treated by the most appropriate healthcare professional, resulting in shorter waiting times and enabling A&E staff to treat patients who most need emergency and specialist care."The new centre will start operating on 1 July.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Text messages used in lung cancer pilot in Coalville
A pilot to detect lung cancer early in Leicestershire has led to 247 chest the trial, patients in Coalville were sent text messages with a list of can then request an X-ray to check whether they potentially have lung cancer without needing to see a GP pilot has diagnosed two confirmed cases of lung cancer, one of which was caught at an early stage. Peter Moult had a cough when he received a text message from his 66-year-old joined the pilot scheme, which led to an X-ray and a CT was told he had peribronchial thickening, which was now being treated with an inhaler."The scheme is fantastic. It's something that everybody should take up," said Peter."If nothing else, get the assurance that you've got the all-clear." The pilot is being run in Coalville and surrounding areas to support people in more rural and deprived communities with high numbers of local Integrated Care Board worked with the University Hospitals of Leicester and the East Midlands Cancer Alliance to organise scheme is open to people aged 40 or over who are registered with a GP practice in must not have had a chest X-ray or CT scan in the last three far, 263 patients have contacted the booking line and five people have had follow-up CT scans. One of the two patients diagnosed with lung cancer was Michael Specht."I'd had a cough for over seven weeks and it was constant," said the 75-year-old from Coalville."If it wasn't for the text message and this service, I wouldn't have sought help and who knows where I'd be."Mr Specht was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and has started his treatment. "We wanted to bring in a scheme where patients can have an investigation without seeing a GP in a bid to try and increase these important diagnoses," said Dr Ben Noble who is cancer lead for the East Midlands Cancer Alliance."If you do get one of these texts and you do have the qualifying symptoms, please call that number because lung cancer is so much more survivable if we can diagnose it early."The local NHS says it will review the pilot after its initial Noble says he would like to expand the service to other areas in the East Midlands.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deadline for spring COVID-19 booster approaching - who can get it
The NHS in West Yorkshire has encouraged eligible individuals to get a COVID-19 booster before the current vaccination campaign ends on Tuesday, June 17. The booster is being offered to people aged 75 and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and anyone aged six months and over with a weakened immune system. A spokesperson said: "This includes people who have or are receiving treatment for conditions such as diabetes, blood cancer, organ transplant, HIV, or those taking medicines that weaken the immune system, such as high-dose steroids or immunosuppressants following cancer treatment." Dr James Thomas, medical director for the West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board and a Leeds-based GP, said: "Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and those around you from the serious effects of COVID-19. "The virus hasn't gone away, and those most at risk can still become seriously unwell. "If you're eligible for the spring booster, please don't miss this opportunity – book now or visit a walk-in pharmacy before June 17." Appointments can be booked through the NHS App, online at or by calling 119. Some walk-in pharmacies are also available across West Yorkshire. A full definition of immunosuppression can be found in Chapter 14a (table 3) of the Green Book:
