Archive for October, 2010
Friday, October 15th, 2010
Note: this consultation is now closed
Plans for improving local maternity services are going out for public consultation on Monday 18 October.
The aim is to give local people a say in how care for mothers and babies is provided from before pregnancy to care after the birth.
Solihull NHS Care Trust and NHS Birmingham East and North have seen the review of maternity services across their areas as an opportunity to radically reshape and modernise maternity care provided for women and their families, especially for those who are most vulnerable or disadvantaged.
After listening to the views of clinicians, including doctors and midwives, and local mothers and pregnant women, they have drawn up proposals and now want to know what local people think about them. A consultation document and supporting information will be available online at www.maternityconsultation.co.uk, or printed copies are available from the Patient Advice and Liaison Services free on 0800 783 2894 and pals@solihull-ct.nhs.uk or palsbenpct@nhs.net.
At the heart of the consultation is an option for care during childbirth which would see a midwife-led birth centre permanently provided at Solihull Hospital and women having a wider choice of where and how to give birth.
Solihull NHS Care Trust’s Medical Director, Dr Patrick Brooke, said: “This review provides us with a huge opportunity to improve the care that we offer women to make it more supportive, as well as a larger focus on prevention and early identification of potential problems resulting in a safer, higher quality service overall.
“Our vision is that women will be supported from before they conceive until after mother and baby no longer need support. Supporting mothers along their whole journey to parenthood and keeping them healthy will have a huge impact on the future health of mother, child and family. We want to ensure that the maternity services we offer are proactive, supportive, safe and of high quality.”
Dr Mike Caley, Public Health Registrar for NHS Birmingham East and North, said: “We have looked carefully at the whole pregnancy pathway and we have the opportunity here to make real changes to the health of our population. The whole package – from the prevention of unwanted pregnancies to supporting mothers and father after the birth of their baby – has the potential to deliver far reaching improvements to health.”
The consultation period closes on 24 January 2011. People can learn more about the trusts’ plans for maternity services and have their say at a series of public meetings. The first meeting is on Wednesday 3 November at 2pm at the Fordbridge Centre in Nineacres Drive, Chelmsley Wood, when Dr Brooke and Dr Caley will give details, answer questions and take note of opinions.
Further meetings will be held in November and December as follows:
- Castle Vale Library, Spitfire House, 10 High Street, Castle Vale, Birmingham, and Solihull Methodist Church Hall, Blossomfield Road, Solihull, both on Tuesday 9 November at 1pm
- Shirley Methodist Church Hall, 257 Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull, on Monday 15 November at 7pm
- St. Paul’s Centre, 405b Belchers Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham on Wednesday 17 November at 5.30pm
- Mere Green Community Centre, 30A Mere Green Road, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, on Wednesday 1 December 1 at 5pm.
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Enquiries
For more information please contact Anna Shaw at NHS Birmingham East and North on 0121 380 9103 or Jill Ford or Janet Mee at Solihull NHS Care Trust on 0121 713 8778.
Notes to editors
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) within the English NHS. As a PCT, it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards in north and east Birmingham.
We organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent, referred to as commissioning.
Posted in Commissioning, Featured, General public, How we make decisions, Maternity services, News, Parents, Pregnant women, Press release, Public and patient liaison, What our priorities are and how we are doing | No Comments »
Friday, October 15th, 2010
It is Alcohol Awareness Week from Monday 18th October to Sunday 24th October. Follow these top tips to make sure you don’t let alcohol get the better of you.
Top tips for safe drinking
If you’re getting ready for a big night out the tips below are worth remembering before you start a drinking session. They could stop you getting a nasty hangover – or even save your life.
- Eat before you go out, or early in the evening, to reduce the effects of your drinking
- Remember, it’s not about saving up your units for the week and cramming them all into one evening
- Drink water regularly during the evening and before you go to bed
- Take a break if you think the drink is hitting you too quickly
- Pace yourself with soft drinks – a tonic looks the same with or without vodka
- Don’t try to keep up with friends who drink more than you – that’s their choice
- Don’t mix alcohol with drugs of any kind, but especially ecstasy or cocaine: it can be deadly
- If you’re on medication, ask your doctor if it’s safe to drink
- After a session of heavy drinking take a break for 48 hours to let your body recover
Getting home
Always remember to take care of yourself and your mates, from when to cross the road, to who to go home with, alcohol affects your judgement. When you’re out drinking make sure you’ve got enough money for a taxi home and the phone number of a reliable taxi firm. If you’re getting the bus or train, arrange to go with a friend. Never let a drunk friend go home alone.
Know your limits
The NHS recommends that:
- Men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day;
- Women should not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol per day.
You should also take a break for 48 hours after a heavy session to let your body recover.
The recommended ‘safe’ limits are there as a guide to help people have a good time without ruining their night out, and potentially, harming themselves long term.
Do you know how many units are in your favorite drinks?
- A large glass (250ml) of red, rose or white wine (13% alcohol content) - 3.3 units
- A pint of strong lager (i.e. Stella) - 3 units
- A standard glass (175ml) of champagne or sparkling wine (12% alcohol content) - 2.1 units
- A double vodka (70ml) - 2.7 units
Too much alcohol can
- Make you prone to erratic behaviour – arguing, fighting and drink driving
- Cause physical difficulties and/or injury
- Cause long term health problems – heart disease, cancer and liver problems
- Affect your judgement and make you vulnerable
- Make you pile on the pounds
Information and advice
If you’re concerned about your drinking or someone else’s drinking you can call 0800 073 0817 for information and advice about alcohol services in Birmingham. Or you can visit the BDAAT website at www.bdaat.co.uk
Useful links
Tags: bdaat
Posted in Alcohol, General public, Health improvement, News, Press release, What our priorities are and how we are doing | No Comments »
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
Expectant mums in Birmingham are being invited to learn more about giving their babies a healthy start to life with a series of sessions in the east and north of the city.
As part of their antenatal care, mums-to-be and their partners can go along to the sessions at Erdington Health and Wellbeing Walk-in Centre, at 196 High Street, Erdington, on the first Wednesday of every month from 9.30am – 12noon. Expectant mothers in Washwood Heath can drop in to the workshops at Anthony Road Children’s Centre in Alum Rock on the third Wednesday of the month, also from 9.30am – 12noon.
The workshops will help parents think about feeding choices, learn about bonding through feeding and meeting baby’s needs, and find out how to tell feeding is going well.
Jewant Singh, Breastfeeding Co-ordinator at NHS Birmingham East and North, said: “Our friendly antenatal sessions are all about getting new born babies off to the best start in life by meeting their needs, as well as giving women the chance to meet other mums and make new friends. Mums are free to bring dad, grandma, or a friend along too!”
For more information, call Jewant Singh on 0121 380 9270.
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Enquiries
For more information, please contact Sarah Millard, NHS Birmingham East and North External Communications Manager, on 0121 380 0620.
Notes to editors
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) within the English NHS. As a PCT, it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards in north and east Birmingham.
We organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent, referred to as commissioning.
Posted in Adults, Erdington, General public, Health improvement, Maternity services, News, Parents, Pregnant women, Press release, The services we offer, Washwood Heath, Women | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 13th, 2010
A ground-breaking new method for carrying out NHS Health Checks was tried out on Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley CBE MP, at a health event in Birmingham last week.
NHS Birmingham East and North’s Cardiovascular Nurse Consultant Jamie Waterall demonstrated the innovative system, created in partnership between the trust and 1 Tempus, an independent IT company.
The system uses touch screen technology to guide Health Care Assistants (HCA) and members of the public through Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) screening which aims to identify potential risk factors for future CVD events. This early detection of risk factors provides an opportunity to employ strategies to reduce risk through lifestyle or medical interventions, such as weight management or blood pressure control.
The advantage of using an electronic system such as this is that all results and referrals are sent automatically to the individual’s GP and lifestyle services, such as smoking cessation. This avoids unnecessary paperwork and reduces delays. The system also intelligently prompts the HCA to the correct advice and management. Measurements such as blood pressure and weight are automatically posted into the system, avoiding data input error. Point of care testing is also used to check lipid profiles, which allows the service to run as a ‘one stop’ appointment.
Jamie Waterall said: “It was a great honour to demonstrate this innovative approach to delivering CVD screening and management to the new Secretary of State for Health. This is a real example of how frontline clinical staff can deliver on the Quality, Innovation, Prevention and Productivity (QIPP) agenda.”
Since the system’s introduction in NHS Birmingham East and North earlier this year, more than 2,000 patients have received screening through it and of those, 385 have been identified as at risk and have been given the appropriate support and referral. Jamie added “The HCAs delivering the Health Check appointments provide really good brief intervention and appropriate referral to lifestyle services using the automated paper-free process. This is invaluable, as it also ensures that only those people who require further assessment and intervention need to be seen for a follow-up appointment at the GP surgery.”
Ends
Photo caption: (1) Cardiovascular Nurse Consultant Jamie Waterall (right) demonstrates the innovative approach that NHS Birmingham East and North have developed to deliver the NHS Health Checks to the Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley CBE MP (left).
Photo caption: (2) NHS Health Check Facilitator Anita Kasprzyk (right) undertaking an NHS Health Check with local resident Mr Stephen Beeke.
Enquiries
For more information, contact Jamie Waterall, CVD Nurse Consultant, on 0121 380 9286 or 07971 306733 or email jamie.waterall@benpct.nhs.uk.
Notes to editors
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) within the English NHS. As a PCT, it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards in north and east Birmingham.
We organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent, referred to as commissioning.
Posted in Communications and FOI, General public, Health advice, News, Press release, The services we offer, Washwood Heath | No Comments »
Friday, October 8th, 2010
The hard hitting stop smoking campaign launched last year which successfully encouraged resistant male smokers in Birmingham to Fight Back against smoking has been awarded by the Association for Healthcare Communications and Marketing.
At the annual Communicating Health Awards, the Fight Back campaign, led by NHS Birmingham East and North in partnership with Dr Foster Intelligence, was named overall winner in the ‘best social marketing campaign’ category.
The campaign saw shocking images of beaten up men along with taglines such as “Smoking. GBH to your insides”, “When you smoke, it’s your insides that get beaten up” and “Cigarettes attack you. But in ways you don’t always see” hit the streets of Birmingham in September 2009, with a follow up campaign in May 2010.
The campaign also featured a short film of a man being beaten up by an invisible assailant: cigarettes. This film, made by celebrity photographer Rankin and co-director Chris Cottam, was posted on YouTube and received half a million hits.
The campaign successfully encouraged more men in Birmingham to stop smoking year on year; the rate of people quitting smoking in east and north Birmingham increased by 67 per cent thanks to the campaign.
Sally Brooks, head of social marketing at NHS Birmingham East and North, said: “I am thrilled with this award, especially as it was judged by the National Centre for Social Marketing. For me though, the real reward is the fact that we achieved what we set out to achieve – we reduced the numbers of people smoking in Birmingham. This is all due to the very hard work carried out both at the trust and by dedicated staff at Dr Foster intelligence.”
NHS Birmingham East and North was also nominated in three other categories at the Communicating Health Awards, including ‘best partnership working’ for the partnership work with Dr Foster Intelligence, ‘communicator of the future’ for Michelle Mills who has produced exceptional work as communications and graphic design officer, and the ‘award of excellence’.
Ends
Photo caption: Sally Brooks, head of social marketing, is delighted that the award-winning Fight Back campaign has reduced the amount of men smoking in Birmingham
Enquiries
For more information, please contact Lyndsay Stewart, NHS Birmingham East and North Internal Communications Manager, on 0121 380 9058.
Notes to editors
NHS Birmingham East and North is one of 152 primary care trusts (PCTs) within the English NHS. As a PCT, it is responsible for the wise investment of public money to ensure health improvement, access to health services and where appropriate the provision of health services to a local population of some 438,000 people, across 17 wards in north and east Birmingham.
We organise and fund the delivery of health care with the involvement of local people, maximising health outcomes for every pound spent, referred to as commissioning.
Posted in Communications and FOI, General public, Health improvement, News, Press release, Smoking, What our priorities are and how we are doing | No Comments »
Monday, October 4th, 2010
Don’t miss out on a new NHS screening programme – it could save your life.
That is the message from Sheldon grandfather Michael Berry after he had major surgery to repair a potentially fatal weakness in his aorta – the main blood vessel in the body. (more…)
Tags: Screening
Posted in Adults, Community health services, Men, News, Older people, Press release, Screening, Sheldon, The services we offer | No Comments »
