Author: Keri Ross

As the flu season gets going, expectant mothers are one of the most at-risk groups and are being urged to prioritise vaccinations to protect themselves and their unborn children.

Devon GP, Dr Alex Degan, said: “Pregnant women are strongly advised to receive vaccinations against flu, RSV, and whooping cough.

“Pregnancy alters how the body responds to infections, increasing the risk of complications from these viruses.

“Contracting these illnesses during pregnancy can lead to severe outcomes such as premature birth or low birth weight for the baby.

“The vaccines not only protect expectant mothers but also confer immunity to their unborn babies, safeguarding them during their first few months when they are most vulnerable.

“Please don’t make the mistake of thinking ‘it’s just flu, whooping cough or RSV’. Individually, these viruses can cause serious complications for pregnant women, but together they can be even more dangerous.

“The flu vaccine is safe at any stage of pregnancy and can be administered alongside other vaccines, if needed.

“The best time for pregnant women to receive the whooping cough vaccine is after 16 weeks of pregnancy, while RSV is recommended at 28 weeks.”

Dr Degan’s plea has been backed by local midwives, who say: “There’s good evidence that pregnant women have a higher chance of developing complications if they catch flu, whooping cough or RSV, particularly in the later stages of pregnancy.

“The antibodies you develop after getting the vaccines are passed to your baby, offering crucial protection that lasts for the first few months of their lives. So please don’t delay – now’s the time to get your jabs.”

Pregnant women should consult their midwives or GPs about receiving the recommended vaccines as soon as possible.

More information about vaccinations in pregnancy can be found on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/vaccinations/

A short video from a local midwife is available to view here, which features advice on which vaccines to have during pregnancy and at which stages they should be given.

A new community interest company – Inclusion Health Devon (IncluDe) has been awarded the contract to provide primary medical care services to the homeless and vulnerably housed in Exeter and Barnstaple. 

Inclusion Health Devon took over the running of the Clock Tower Surgery in Exeter and has now established a permanent service at the Freedom Centre in Barnstaple, following the success of the previous pilot project.

They are a newly formed Community Interest Company (CIC) set up by clinicians (GPs and nurses) from both the Clock Tower Surgery in Exeter and Freedom Centre service in Barnstaple, who have many years of experience in delivering care to inclusion health groups.

By uniting the two services, the organisation can offer enhanced, specialist care, ensuring that patients benefit from the collective expertise and collaborative approach across both sites.

Patients are being reassured that it’s business as usual at the practice and they should continue to access their practice in the normal way.

Patients in Barnstaple are already seeing the benefits of this new service, with several expressing that the care provided has been “a lifeline” and that it’s “the only service that truly understands our needs.”

Dr Alex Degan, Medical Director for Primary Care at NHS Devon, said: “We are pleased to announce that Inclusion Health Devon have taken over the running of Clock Tower Surgery and the healthcare services at Freedom Centre in September, providing much more stability for the future.

“We are working closely with Inclusion Health Devon to ensure a smooth transition in the handover, with minimal disruption to patients and staff.  Patients do not need to take any action and should continue to access the service as usual.”

In the longer term, there is a wider ‘Devon ambition’ being developed, bringing together key organisations, agencies, and voluntary sector to work together to improve the health and social wellbeing of this client group and improve access equitably across Devon in primary care.  

The service differs to that of standard general practice and offers a bespoke service specifically tailored to people experiencing homelessness. It aims to:

  • Improve health outcomes and reduced mortality rates
  • Increase engagement with, and trust of, health services
  • Increase uptake of vaccination and screening offers, reducing incidence of infectious diseases
  • Successfully transfer patients to mainstream general practice, with continued engagement with primary care services.
  • A reduced level of ED attendances and emergency admissions
  • Reduce average duration of these admissions through multi-agency discharge planning
  • Reduce emergency (unplanned) admissions into mental health secondary care services
  • Deliver joint care plans

Dr Sam Cole at Inclusion Health Devon, said: “We are delighted to be awarded this contract and look forward to sharing our expertise across both sites, continuing to work our partners to provide high quality services for vulnerable people.”

Millions of people in England can now book flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as the NHS rolls out additional protection for those most at risk ahead of winter.

Anyone eligible can book their vaccinations from 9am via the NHS website, by downloading the NHS App, or by calling 119 for free if they can’t get online.

The vaccinations, which will be available from 3 October, provide vital protection to keep people from developing serious illnesses and ending up in hospital during busy winter months.

This year, based on the latest scientific evidence, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended adults aged 65 and over, residents in older adult care homes and those with underlying health conditions aged 6 months to 64 years will be eligible for flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

The Government has also decided that, as in previous years, the COVID-19 and flu vaccines will be offered to frontline health and social care staff, with staff in older adult care homes being offered the COVID-19 jab.

Eligible people will begin receiving invitations from the NHS to get their jabs, while GP practices and other local NHS services will also be contacting people to offer both vaccines. The flu vaccine can also be booked by searching online for a local pharmacy.

Flu season usually peaks in December and January, so starting adult vaccinations from October will ensure those most at risk are protected during the colder months when people gather indoors and viruses spread.

For the first time, the NHS is also offering vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common cause of coughs and colds which can be dangerous to older people and young children. The jab, introduced earlier this month, is available to those aged 75 to 79, and is being offered to pregnant women from 28 weeks, to protect their child.

It is hoped this year’s vaccination campaigns will help avoid a “tripledemic” of RSV, covid and flu colliding during an already busy time for frontline staff.

For those adults eligible for both flu and COVID-19 vaccines, the NHS will make them available at the same time, giving the option to get protection from both viruses in one visit. However, it is more effective for people to have the RSV vaccination on a different day from any flu or COVID-19 vaccinations.

Flu vaccinations for children started in September for the new school year, to help stop the virus spreading, and pregnant women have been able to get their jab from 1 September.

Michelle Kane, Director for Vaccinations at NHS England, said: “The flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be life-saving and are our best defences against these viruses – and it takes just a few minutes to book online or via the NHS App or 119, so I would urge everyone eligible to do so, to protect themselves and people around them.

“We know that these vaccinations help more people keep well and stay out of hospital during the winter months, which is especially important at a time when the NHS is expected to be under a lot of pressure. It is therefore vital that everyone eligible comes forward when invited.”

Dr Julie Yates, UKHSA Deputy Director for Immunisation Programmes, said: “Many people who are more vulnerable to getting a severe illness from respiratory viruses like flu and COVID-19 are not aware they are at greater risk and eligible for these vaccines. If you are pregnant or have a certain long-term condition you should be offered the vaccines – if unsure, please speak with a trusted nurse or doctor.

“Older people and younger children with flu are also much more likely to get hospitalised and should also get the vaccines they are eligible for as soon as possible to ensure they are protected as we head into winter.”

The nasal flu vaccine is the most effective vaccine for children aged 2-17 years but if this is not suitable the GP or practice nurse may be able to offer a flu vaccine injection as an alternative.

In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, those eligible for a flu vaccine this year include:

From 3 October:

  • those aged 65 years and over
  • those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book)
  • those in long-stay residential care homes
  • carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by Those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants.

Those eligible for an autumn Covid booster are:

  • residents in a care home for older adults
  • all adults aged 65 years and over
  • persons aged 6 months to 64 years in a clinical risk group, as defined in the Green Book, including pregnant women
  • frontline health and social care workers and staff in care homes for older adults

From 1 September:

  • pregnant women
  • all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
  • primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
  • secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
  • all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years

Over 1 million parents and carers of 2–3-year-olds will be urged to book their children in for a flu vaccine from next week, as the NHS ramps up its preparations for winter.

The NHS is sending invitations to the group from Tuesday (17 September), after the jab offer for pregnant women and school children kicked off earlier this month (1 September).

It’s important that those eligible come forward when they can to top up their protection ahead of winter, as immunity wanes over time and viruses change and adapt each year.

The flu vaccination campaign launched on 1 September, with appointments running across autumn and winter to provide vital protection to prevent people from developing serious illnesses and ending up in hospital during the busy winter months.

The flu vaccine is usually given to children as a quick and painless spray up the nose – without the need for an injection – unless your child cannot have porcine gelatine in medical products, in which case an injected flu vaccine is available as an alternative.

Flu season usually peaks in December and January, so starting vaccinations in autumn will ensure those most at risk are protected during the colder months when people gather indoors and viruses spread.

Last year, during the peak of winter flu cases, data showed there were 2,478 patients in hospital with flu each day – 2.5 times higher than compared to the year previous (2,478 w/e 4 February 2024 vs 961 in the same week of 2023).

While Australia’s flu season this year – which is normally a good predictor for how seasonal viruses will play out in the English winter – saw health services manage a ‘big wave’ of COVID-19 infections alongside a rise in ​influenza and other winter illnesses.

Other eligible groups will soon be able to get their flu and COVID-19 jabs from 3 October, with online bookings opening on 23 September.

This month, for the first time ever, the NHS is also offering the RSV vaccine to pregnant women from 28 weeks and older adults aged 75-79. Pregnant women are encouraged to book their vaccine via their maternity service or GP practice and older adults should wait to be invited by the NHS.

Steve Russell, NHS National Director for Vaccinations and Screening said: “The flu vaccine is our best defence against these winter viruses, as well as helping to reduce pressure in hospitals over the winter period as demand increases.

“The flu virus puts thousands of people in hospital each year and vaccinations help us to keep more people well – so I would urge everyone eligible to book their jabs when they become available, to protect themselves and people around them.”

Last year, the NHS delivered more than 18 million flu vaccinations to adults and children. In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, those eligible for a flu vaccine this year include:

From 1 September:

  • pregnant women
  • all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2024
  • primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
  • secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
  • all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years

From 3 October:

  • those aged 65 years and over
  • those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book)
  • those in long-stay residential care homes
  • carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
  • close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
  • frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by Those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants.

The NHS in the South West is today (5 September) celebrating the remarkable achievements of staff and teams who have won regional categories in the 2024 Parliamentary Awards, after being nominated by their local MPs.

This year’s competition spans ten categories, including a new award for excellence in education and training.

All winners will now go on to represent the South West in the national awards ceremony, alongside those from other English regions, at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster on Monday 14 October.

Elizabeth O’Mahony, Regional Director of NHS England in the South West, said: “Every year, I’m delighted to see our dedicated staff and volunteers across the South West receive this well-deserved recognition.

“Despite the difficulties and day-to-day challenges that we know the NHS faces, our teams continue to deliver outstanding care with unwavering commitment.”

“I’d like to congratulate every one of the winners and thank all the MPs who have taken the time to acknowledge the exceptional work happening in their constituencies.

“I also want to extend my thanks to all the amazing nominees, with a record 79 being put forward this year, some by more than one MP.”

Steve Moore, Chief Executive of NHS Devon said: “I’m incredibly proud and humbled to see so many of our regional winners are from Devon. It highlights the excellent care and innovative thinking we have locally, and I’m so pleased that people who have dedicated their careers to improving services for patients are recognised in this way.”

The 2024 Devon winners, selected by NHS leaders in the South West, are: 

The Excellence in Mental Health Care Award:

  • Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service, Devon Partnership NHS Trust
  • Nominated by Ms Kerry McCarthy MP

The Future NHS Award:

  • Northern Devon Heart Failure Remote Monitoring Project, led by Angela Tithecott, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – Northern Services (Royal Devon)
  • Nominated by Ian Roome MP

The Nursing and Midwifery Award:

  • Louise Barraclough, Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centre
  • Nominated by David Reed MP, Richard Foord MP, Ian Roome MP and Steve Race MP

The Excellence in Primary Care and Community Award:

  • Belle’s Place Primary Care project, Combe Coastal Practice/Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
  • Nominated by Ian Roome MP

The Excellence in Education and Training Award:

  • Dr Yvonne Neubauer, MSI Reproductive Choices UK
  • Nominated by Steve Race MP and Karin Smyth MP

The Volunteer Award:

  • Lyndsey Withers, Plymouth
  • Nominated by Luke Pollard MP

The Devon winners for 2024, with comments from the judges: 

MP Name: Kerry McCarthy
Awards Category: The Excellence in Mental Health Care Award

Nominee Name: Bristol Dementia Wellbeing Service, Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Nominated for: A Care Home Liaison service (CHLS), with practitioners providing in-reach assessment and support to care homes across Bristol, offering person-centred strategies and guidance to meet residents’ dementia needs and to promote wellbeing.

“The Bristol Dementia and Wellbeing Service has taken an innovative approach to developing dementia training for staff in care homes, using ‘aging simulation suits’ – wearable devices that recrate physical and sensory impairments associated with older age.

“The simulation-based training has been evidenced to be effective in both increasing insight and awareness and changing practice across 20 care homes, reducing stigma and misconceptions around dementia.

“The impact on care was seen in one resident where staff didn’t understand his dementia. They thought he was “misbehaving on purpose” and wanted him to leave. After training staff attitudes changed: they realised he was frustrated and anxious so adopted different care approaches. He became more settled and therefore he remained there.”

MP Name: Ian Roome
Awards Category:  The Future NHS Award supported by medical defence union

Nominee Name: Northern Devon Heart Failure Remote Monitoring Project, led by Angela Tithecott at Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – Northern Services (Royal Devon)

Nominated for: Remote monitoring at home for selected patients with heart failure, giving people greater control, with less travel and fewer unnecessary hospital admissions, enabling the heart failure team to prioritise face-to-face appointments with those patients who needed them most.

Comments:

“The work Angela has led on has enabled individuals with heart failure to take more ownership of their health condition and gain more control of their lives.

“Suitable individuals have been given the opportunity to monitor their health from home using a remote monitoring platform and equipment that directly connects to the heart failure team.

“This allows the people to record and send the team daily information about their symptoms – blood pressure, heart rate and weight. To date, the pilot has demonstrated that those being supported can be discharged quicker and have improved access to care.”

MP Name: David Reed, Richard Foord, Ian Roome and Steve Race
Awards Category:  The Nursing and Midwifery Award

Nominee Name: Louise Barraclough at NHS Devon

Nominated for: Her role as Lead Nurse and Specialist Safeguarding Lead for the Devon & Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC), building a team of specialist and forensic nurses who provide exceptional care.

Comments:

“Louise has developed a highly regarded service that cares for, supports and advocates for people and children who have experienced sexual assault.

“She has demonstrated innovation and tenacity in her approaches to improving services for those that use them, as well as ensuring that colleagues providing care receive high-quality, evidence-based training to ensure best practice is followed.

“By sharing her knowledge and expertise she has built a network of people from health and multi-agency partners to ensure that those who use the service receive sensitive care that will not add to their trauma. A true inspiration and role model.”

MP Name: Ian Roome
Awards Category: The Excellence in Primary Care and Community Award

Nominee Name: Belle’s Place Primary Care project, Combe Coastal Practice/Royal Devon University Healthcare Trust

Nominated for: Outreach project via Belle’s Place Café in Ilfracombe, focused on understanding and improving access to primary care for some 200 vulnerable people via drop-in clinics and appointments spanning multiple, complex needs.

Comments:

“This exceptional project focuses on understanding and improving access to primary care for the most- vulnerable people living in Ilfracombe, who have significant health needs, chronic illnesses, mental health difficulties, and a lower-than-average life expectancy.

“It embraces the need to take primary care services into the community, re-imagines the ‘front door’ of general practice and shows what can be achieved through collaborative working with the community, as feedback from a patient attests: ‘Society will always look down on people like me. This is a place I can come…’

MP Name: Steve Race and Karin Smyth
Awards Category: The Excellence in Education and Training Award

Nominee Name: Dr Yvonne Neubauer at MSI Reproductive Choices UK

Nominated for: Setting up free, advanced abortion training for surgeons in the South West, after realising that access for pregnant women at 18 weeks or over was poor, even non-existent, forcing them to go to London. Dr Neubauer’s work has now enabled a Bristol service to open for complex abortion care, with additional hubs in Exeter and Plymouth.

Comments:

“Amongst some excellent nominations for the Excellence in Education and Training Award Dr Yvonne Neubauer’s work has been remarkable in addressing the national shortage of abortion surgeons and improving access to complex abortion care.

“Her efforts have made a significant impact on women’s health, particularly in the South West region of England. By offering free specialist surgical training, Dr Neubauer has not only expanded abortion capacity but also contributed to healthcare workforce recruitment and retention.

“Her vision and hard work have ensured that more women can access essential healthcare services in the South West without having to travel far. Truly impressive!”

MP Name: Luke Pollard
Awards Category: The Volunteer Award

Nominee Name: Lyndsey Withers, Plymouth

Nominated for: Voluntary work across Plymouth, including at the Plymouth Soup Run; at Shekinah’s drop-in centre for people affected by homelessness and other disadvantages; at Plymouth University Medical School, as teacher and mentor; at Salvation Army hostel, Devonport Lifehouse; at University Hospitals Plymouth; and with GPs and hospital staff to encourage testing for hepatitis C.

Comment:

“Lyndsey Withers has been chosen in recognition of her dedication and selfless contribution to improving the health and lives of some of the most-vulnerable people in Plymouth.

“She exemplifies the true spirit of volunteerism, dedicating her time to numerous projects that span a number of sectors – including the NHS, primary care, social care, VTS, academic and research sectors – to inspire and make positive change for citizens, patients and staff.

“Lyndsey acts locally but her impact has been far-reaching as she is willing to share knowledge and expertise that empower others to replicate initiatives and contribute to research projects, leading to lasting improvements in health outcomes and ensuring that a patient voice is heard at all times”

The NHS in the South West is preparing for the start of the holiday season, as the first of millions of visitors start to arrive in the region, increasing demand for services.

Tourists and local people are being encouraged to make best use of health services, especially as the Easter bank holiday weekend is a four-day break.

The message is that urgent and emergency care will be there for you, but please choose the right service for your needs.

Ahead of the Easter weekend, the advice is to:

  • Make sure you have ordered and collected any repeat medicines, especially if you are travelling
  • Continue to call 999 in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk
  • Go to NHS 111 online if you need medical help or advice, or you are unsure about whether you should go to hospital; you can also phone 111
  • Play your part by taking simple steps to look after yourselves and loved ones, checking in on vulnerable family members and neighbours. A first step is making sure your medicine cabinet is well-stocked
  • Make use of community pharmacies, which can advise on minor illnesses and provide medications.

Visitors to the South West are also reminded that their first port of call for GP care is their home practice, which will be able to provide online, phone and video consultations as well as arranging for prescriptions to be sent to any pharmacy you choose.

Dr Nigel Acheson, NHS Devon’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “The NHS in the South West has been preparing for a while for the start of the main holiday season, when we’ll start welcoming millions of people to this lovely part of the world.

“This Easter, we’re asking visitors and residents alike to ‘help us help you’ by choosing the right treatment options.”

Background:

An NHS Devon ICB (Integrated Care Board) project that allows patients to consult GPs located anywhere in the UK has won a prestigious national healthcare award.

The innovative ‘GP in the Cloud’ initiative was crowned the winner of the Virtual Care Project of the Year Award at the HSJ Partnership Awards.

GP in the Cloud – a partnership between NHS Devon ICB, DELT Shared Services, Integy and NASGP – was also named runner-up in the coveted Best Healthcare Provider Partnership with the NHS category.

The project team received the accolades at a gala ceremony held at Evolution London in Battersea Park on Thursday 21 March.

The HSJ Partnership Awards celebrate the role of collaboration in shaping the integrated health and care system of the future.

Judges praised the GP in the Cloud team for their success in “working together to set up and deliver a service that enables safe, effective virtual care.

“It (GP in the Cloud) involved patients in the care plan, equipping them to contribute to their own recovery, and has potential to scale up to meet future care demands.”

Dr John McCormick, Chief Clinical Information Officer for Devon ICB, said: “These accolades are deserved recognition for a project that brings tangible benefits to GP practices and patients, and a tribute to the organisations that delivered it.

“Each of the partners involved in GP in the Cloud brings a specialism. It is the combination of these specialisms that resulted in the success of this project. It is an outstanding example of true partnership working and what can be achieved.”

Delt CEO, Giles Letheren, added: “We are incredibly proud of our team and partners for delivering a groundbreaking solution that directly benefits NHS Devon and patients alike.

“Our joint win highlights the transformative impact of collaboration and technology in driving efficiency and accessibility within primary care settings. To have co-designed and implemented GP in the Cloud, a remote access platform that enables locum GPs to access a patient’s full medical record safely, securely and from any location, without the need to be issued a dedicated laptop, is good, but the bigger victory is in working together.

“The project itself was made feasible solely due to the willingness of NHS Devon to collaborate effectively with multiple partners. While the win for Virtual Care Project of the year reflects the utility and impact of our platform, we are perhaps even prouder of our silver award for Best Partnership.”

GP in the Cloud was developed as a response to the shortage of GPs in Devon. While online consultation revolutionised how GP services were delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic, they had their limitations as clinical systems could be accessed remotely but other systems could not.

NHS Devon ICB developed a solution that means GPs located anywhere in the UK to carry out consultations with patients from their own devices. It allows practices to offer more appointments to patients and can quickly alleviate any unforeseen issues such as unplanned staff absence by using it.

Thirty-four practices in Devon were actively involved in the pilot project and have successfully embedded GP in the Cloud.

After the initial pilot, GP in the Cloud technology was made available to the remaining Devon practices. By the end of 2022, it was embedded as the ‘business as usual’ model across the NHS Devon ICB footprint, providing thousands of additional clinical hours and cost savings.

And, following the successful roll-out, NHS Devon ICB was asked by NHS England to develop a blueprint to support regional and national roll out of the technology. This blueprint is currently being used by NHS England to support a phased rollout of our GP in the Cloud technology with plans for it to become available nationally.