Category: News
An NHS and council project in north Devon that aims to improve health in rural, coastal and disadvantaged communities has been featured in the Reader’s Digest magazine.
The article in the April 2024 edition outlines One Devon’s approach to foster community support and collaboration to sustain rural services, making them accessible to financially disadvantaged groups.
It also references innovative mental health support that has been introduced, including “Arts on Prescription” and “Nature on Prescription”.
Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) have launched a new website, helping to support children and young people’s health and wellbeing.
The new site serves as a comprehensive resource hub, providing easy access to a range of tools and guidance that support children and young people in the county.
The new site also aims to simplify the referral process, with a new referral form that helps referrers provide all the information required to determine the level of support needed.
For any questions about the new referral form, please visit CFHD’s website or contact the Single Point of Access team on 0330 0245 321.
A new approach has been published that aims to improve the safety, effectiveness, experience, and outcomes by enhancing coordination and collaboration between primary and secondary care.
Colleagues across both sectors have developed the ‘strengthening Devon’s primary and secondary care interface’ document to improve relationships, clarify responsibilities, remove unnecessary administrative burdens and provide a more efficient system.
Dr Alex Degan, medical director for primary care in Devon, is leading the work and is happy to receive feedback and suggestions for future editions of the paper.
Year 2 children in 24 primary schools across Torbay have been brushing up on their dental health, thanks to a new project funded by Torbay Council.
The scheme, known as Open Wide and Step Inside, has seen the Dental Outreach Team go in to schools to deliver 45-minute oral health education lessons.
The outreach team is run by the Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise, which delivers programmes across Devon and Cornwall.
Each child receives a goody bag containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, two-minute timer and a sticker and each class also receives a resource story book for the school library so good habits can continue long after the lesson ends.
A new collaborative committee that aims to improve the clinical and cost effectiveness of medicines in Devon met for the first time this month.
One Devon’s Integrated Medicines Optimisation Committee (IMOC), which held its inaugural meeting on 19 April, includes representatives from all health sectors within Devon (acute hospitals, mental health providers, GP practices and community pharmacy) and across professions.
Medicines are the most common clinical intervention and the highest category of NHS spend after staffing, with in the region of £460 million spent in 2023/24.
The IMOC will meet every two months and lead the system in ensuring that progress is made on the 16 National Medicines Optimisation Opportunities.
The first IMOC meeting reviewed key metrics relating to medicines in Devon, agreed its workplan and terms of reference, and had a focused discussion on valproate, which is one of the 16 national priorities and a key medicines safety issue.
The next meeting will focus on the three national priorities relating to cardiovascular disease medicines: lipid management, hypertension and anticoagulants.
For more information about IMOC, please contact Warwick Heale.
A collaborative pilot project aimed at improving access to mental health support for rough sleepers in Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon has been extended.
Led by Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Livewell Southwest, the innovative project is supported by Improving Lives Plymouth. It is focused on removing barriers to services that rough sleepers or those at risk of rough sleeping face by upskilling outreach practitioners, ensuring a multi-agency response and embedding new ways of working.
The team involved have been busy bringing together expertise across mental health services, primary care, social care, housing services and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) to support those who are rough sleeping.
The project will now run until September, when it is hoped that the newly developed pathways and training will be used to inform improvements across Devon.
Rowan Burrows, Specialist Change Practitioner for the Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Rough Sleepers Project, said: “When you stereotypically think of a rough sleeper, the reality and how that looks for someone living in a rural community is very different and it’s a very precarious situation for these people.
“It’s a complex problem but what we have discovered is that there are a lot of amazing staff out there who are working so hard to support this group of people and that there is a real willingness to want to come together and drive change.”
As well as continuing to roll out mental health awareness training, work is underway to gather experiences and feedback from those with lived experience to help identify the barriers they face to accessing services.
A number of community listening events are also being planned.
Rowan added: “We want to make sure that everyone is seen, heard and listened to and that what we learn from them is used to put the right tools in the system to make changes for them.
“Ultimately, the pilot aims to establish local relationships and processes to enable existing services to build support around the individual and those supporting in a truly joined up way. The work of the pilot will make recommendations for improving access to mental health support and guidance across Devon, in particular considering the diversity of services and demands across urban and rural areas.”
Torbay Council is working in partnership with Samaritans South Devon to offer a callback service to vulnerable people who need support.
As of February, the council’s customer-facing staff have been referring people to Samaritans South Devon with the individual’s consent.
It means that those who need to talk to someone do not need to make the active choice to phone the Samaritans. They just need to answer the phone when the Samaritans call back.
If a council member of staff is speaking to someone during the course of their work who they identify as potentially needing further help, they can ask the person if they’d like a confidential call from the Samaritans.
Councillor Hayley Tranter, Torbay Council’s cabinet member for Adult and Community Services, Public Health and Inequalities, said: “Many people may be going through difficult times for a number of reasons but may not normally consider contacting the Samaritans directly.
“The organisation offers anyone struggling to cope the time and space to talk about the issues and problems they face.
“This new service means they don’t have to initiate a call but simply pick up the phone if the Samaritans ring them.
“It will only be done with their consent. Once the council employee has passed the first name and phone number to the Samaritans, no further information will come back to the council. It could be a lifesaver for someone in real turmoil.”
Dean Sanders, Samaritans South Devon Director, said: “Samaritans South Devon are delighted to be working in partnership with Torbay Council to offer our Callback Service to local people who are struggling to cope.
“We have around 90 well-trained Listening Volunteers committed to weekly shifts at our Torquay centre. They will make the callbacks and offer emotional support without judgement or pressure, giving people the time and space to explore how they’re feeling.”
Anyone can contact the Samaritans for free at any time from any phone on 116 123, even from a mobile without credit.
The NHS National Booking System will open for spring Covid-19 vaccination bookings on Monday (15 April), with those eligible able to book appointments from the following week.
Around 884,000 people in the South West region will be eligible for a spring Covid-19 vaccination, including people aged 75 or over, those with a weakened immune system and older adult care home residents.
The South West has one of the best take up rates in the country with last year’s autumn vaccine programme resulting in 60 per cent of eligible people (compared to 47.8 per cent nationally) getting their Covid-19 vaccination.
Spring vaccinations will be available until 30 June 2024.
Anyone eligible can book a vaccine appointment via the NHS website or by calling 119 for free, with parents or carers able to book a Covid-19 vaccination for children under 16 on their behalf. Eligible people aged 16 and over can also use the NHS App to book an appointment.
The NHS is sending texts, emails, NHS App messages or letters to those who are eligible, but they do not have to wait for the invite to book.
Monday will also see the start of visits to older adult care homes and eligible household patients. For those that receive all their care at home, a home visit should be arranged via their GP.
Eligibility for a spring vaccination is similar to previous years but those with a weakened immune system are now eligible from six months instead of five years.
Following JCVI advice, this spring’s eligible cohorts include:
- Adults aged 75 years and over by 30 June 2024
- Residents in care homes for older adults
- Individuals aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
This year there are thousands of appointments available every day across the country including at pharmacies and GP practices. Some areas also offer convenient walk-in options, with a list of available walk-in sites online.
Covid-19 can still be very dangerous and even life-threatening, particularly for older people and those with a weakened immune system. The vaccine gives good protection and helps reduce the risk of serious illness or death, needing to go to hospital, catching and spreading the virus, and protects against different variants.
UKHSA surveillance data on last year’s spring Covid-19 vaccination programme showed that those who received a vaccine were around 50% less likely to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19 for three to four months after vaccination, compared to those who did not receive one.
Anyone eligible who has not received any previous doses should get vaccinated during this year’s spring offer, to help protect against serious illness.
The NHS is also encouraging those eligible to get the shingles vaccine, which is recommended for all adults turning 65, those aged 70 to 79, and those aged 50 and over with a severely weakened immune system. Anyone eligible should be contacted by their GP surgery to book an appointment.
Dr Michael Marsh, South West regional Medical Director, said: “We’re really proud of the fact we have one of the best take-up rates in the country as this is one of the best ways people can protect themselves from the serious harm Covid-19 can still cause. We aim to make it as easy as possible for eligible people to get their vaccinations, so please don’t hesitate to get an appointment and protect yourself or the people you care for.”
Steve Russell, NHS national director for vaccinations and screening, said: “This spring, the NHS is offering the Covid-19 vaccine to those that are at highest risk of getting seriously unwell if they catch the virus.
“Covid-19 can still be very dangerous, particularly for older people and those with a weakened immune system, and over time immunity – either from having the virus or from a previous vaccination – can fade, so it is vital that those who are at higher risk top up their protection.
“If you are aged 75 or over or if you or your child have a weakened immune system, then it is vital that you get your vaccine as soon as possible – you can book quickly and easily through the NHS App, by calling 119, or visiting the NHS website, which also lists walk-in sites across the country that you can visit without an appointment.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Immunisations at UK Health Security Agency, said: “With COVID-19 still circulating, it’s important those at highest risk who are eligible for the spring vaccine get their jab to help top up their immunity.
“We are still seeing COVID-19 causing hospitalisations and severe illness particularly among older people and those with weakened immune systems and the vaccine provides the best protection – so don’t put it off, if you’re eligible book your appointment as soon as you’re invited by the NHS.”
Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: “We are committed to protecting the most vulnerable from Covid and this spring programme will give those most at risk of serious illness the protection they need.
“Getting vaccinated is quicker and more convenient than ever, with thousands of sites open across the country including local pharmacies and GP practices.
“I urge anyone eligible to book their appointment as soon as possible.”
A summary of the health conditions, treatments and medications that can cause a weakened immune system is available here, and a full definition of immunosuppression can be found in Chapter 14a (table 3) of the Green Book.
Devon colleagues were invited to present the findings from a system piece of involvement and insight into the reasons people chose to attend emergency departments (ED) to the South West Clinical Senate this month.
On 7 March, Jonathan Sewell, involvement and insight manager and Steven Clark, partnerships and involvement manager, both of NHS Devon, presented at the senate’s annual conference with Sarah Lonton, operational lead for Healthwatch in Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay.
Their presentation on the involvement programme, which was commissioned by NHS Devon and provided by Healthwatch, was well-received and led to conversations about developing a model that could be used regionally and nationally.
Health and care partners across Devon have come together to provide a new coaching and mentoring service to staff.
The One Devon Retention Hub is a team of qualified nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (AHPs) who work across the system as Legacy Mentors and Career Navigators.
Their primary role is to support staff retention in specific services across health and social care where there is a high retention risk, with the aim of helping to retain the highly skilled and valued nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce.
The Retention Hub provides individual and/or group mentoring and career coaching services to specific teams. The meetings are confidential unless there is a safeguarding concern.
Individuals can access the service directly or a manager can refer someone in via the referral form. The service, which is running as a pilot until June 2024, has produced a short video that summarises its offer.
