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March 2013

February 2013

  • Campaign launched to tackle illegal tobacco trade in Somerset and the South West - Smokefree South West are launching a multi-partnership initiative alongside HMRC, Trading Standards, the Police, Crimestoppers and other enforcement partners, Primary Care Trusts and Local Authorities as part of on-going efforts to tackle the illegal tobacco trade in the South West - 25 March 2013
  • ‘Blueprint' for better health and wellbeing published - A strategic 'blueprint' for improving the health and wellbeing of the people of Somerset has been published this week. Somerset County Council and NHS Somerset‟s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) collects together information from a wide range of sources to highlight the important local trends and changes in health and social care, housing, transport, crime, employment, education and other issues that affect our health and wellbeing - 6 February 2013

January 2013

December 2012

  • Somerset 2BU youth support worker receives NHS Hero Award - Andrew Wilson, NHS Somerset Health Promotion Manager for Sexual Health, has been recognised as an NHS Hero for setting up and developing a safe place which offers support to lesbian, gay and bisexual young people in Somerset - 18 December

  • NHS Somerset celebrates 'Go For It' Awards - Somerset NHS nurses, doctors, healthcare staff and managers are celebrating their sporting achievements with awards they gained taking part in the Somerset NHS ‘Go For It’ Challenge. Inspired by our Olympic 2012 Games the challenge aimed to get NHS employees to take part in more sports or physical activity as part of their working lives - 17 December 2012

  • Choose well to get well this Christmas and New Year - With Christmas and the New Year just a week away staff with Somerset’s community hospital Minor Injury Units are reminding patients that if they have minor illness or ailments over the holiday period to make sure they ‘Choose Well’ and get the right level of medical treatment to match their level of illness or injury - 17 December 2012

  • Somerset's Clinical Commissioning Group approval marks new era for patient centred NHS - The government has given its approval for a new clinically led organisation to take on the responsibility for the planning and funding of health services in Somerset - Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group is one of three new health commissioning organisations to be authorised in the South West today - 11 December 2012

  • Take action to prevent liver disease - Keep track of your drinks - Many of us will be socialising with friends and family over the festive season with a drink or two - Recent figures, however, suggest that this apparently harmless recreation is having a serious effect on the nation’s health - 10 December 2012

  • Ten fold increase in whooping cough - GPs and Public Health Advisors urge pregnant women in Somerset to have a vaccination now - GPs and Public Health Advisors in Somerset are urging all pregnant women to have the whooping cough vaccination and parents to ensure their children are vaccinated against the disease on time - 4 December 2012  

  • Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group Shadow Governing Body -  The Shadow Governing Body of the Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group will be holding its next meeting in public on Wednesday 19 December 2012 at  2.00pm at Lyngford House Conference Centre, Selworthy Road, Taunton, TA2 8HD - 4 December 2012

  • Public views sought on improvements to Somerset's hospital stroke services - Patients, carers and the public are being asked to share their views on proposals to improve the speed of diagnosis and treatment offered to people who experience a stroke - 4 December 2012

November 2012

October 2012

September 2012

August 2012
July 2012
  • NHS Somerset joins national programme to improve health services for gay people - NHS Somerset is one of just 20 health organisations in England to be awarded funding to develop ways of improving the health services provided to members of the county’s lesbian, gay bi-sexual and transgendered community (LGB&T) - 25 July 2012
  • Ask your pharmacist for summer holiday medication - If you are going on a Somerset summer holiday for a week or two and forget to pack vital prescription medicine then don’t worry as one of our community pharmacists can help you - 23 July 2012
  • Somerset young filmmakers' chance to shine with the stars - Young people living in Somerset are being asked to ‘shoot’ a short film (under two minutes) with their camera or video, or whatever they have to hand, and then share it with their friends on social media as part of an anti-smoking competition championed by T4 presenter Will Best - 17 July 2012
  • NHS Somerset joins national programme to improve health services for gay people - NHS Somerset is one of just 20 health organisations in England to be awarded funding to develop ways of improving the health services provided to members of the county’s lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered community (LGB&T) - 12 July 2012
  • Somerset pupil's anti-smoking film wins national award at BAFTA HQ -  Filmmaker's LEGO animation "Dave's Smoking Days" targets teens - Somerset pupil has won a national award for a film he produced about the dangers of smoking - 11 July 2012
  •  Patients invited to afternoon of health and wellbeing at official opening of Highbridge Surgery extension (Tuesday 17 July - starting at 2.00 pm) - Patients, carers and staff from the Highbridge Medical Centre will be celebrating the completion of building works and the official opening of a brand new extension - 10 July 2012
  • Get Bikeability if you're 50 - get back on the bike! - Would you like to start cycling again but haven’t been on a bike in quite a while?  A new four week course for anyone aged over 50, led by a National Standards Cycling Training Instructor at the Silk Mills Park and Ride, Taunton will help you gain the skills and confidence to start riding your bike again - 9 July 2012
  • NHS Heroes - who's yours? - Somerset patients, NHS staff and members of the public are being asked to nominate “heroes” in the NHS. The new staff recognition scheme has been launched by the Government to mark the 64th anniversary of the NHS - 9 July 2012
  • New health forum quizzes West Mendip GPs on health reforms - Following lively debate at their first meeting in May, members of the new West Mendip Health Forum will continue discussing the current reforms of the NHS, local health service priorities and even what’s to be done to reduce the levels of underage drinking and mental ill health amongst local teenagers when they meet again later this month - 2 July 2012
  • Somerset Primary Care Trust Public Board Meeting - The Board of Somerset Primary Care Trust will be holding its next Board meeting at 10.00 am on Wednesday, 18 July 2012 at Lyngford House, Selworthy Road, Taunton, Somerset - 3 July 2012
June 2012
  • Somerset doctors issue warning of measles risk - Parents advised to immunise children to prevent infection - Public Health doctors in Somerset are warning parents that failing to vaccinate their children with the triple Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine could leave them exposed to the complications of measles - 25 June 2012

  • Sex, condoms and relationships ... there's an app for that! - A new smartphone App has been designed especially for young people in Somerset -  Available to download for free the software provides touch-screen information on sex, contraception, pregnancy and relationships - 20 June 2012

  • Could you or a relative be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare? - In March this year, the Department of Health announced the introduction of deadlines for individuals to ask for an assessment of eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare funding, for cases during the period 1 April 2004 – 31 March 2012 - 15 June 2012
  • Cough, cough and ... cough! - Be clear on cancer and see your GP -  New lung cancer campaign aims to save Somerset lives -  Somerset’s Director of Public Health is urging people to be clear about the symptoms of lung cancer - 14 June 2012
  • Are you over 40 and at risk of diabetes? - Diabetes Awareness Week 10-16th June 2012) -  Around one person in every 74 in Britain suffers from type 2 diabetes but does not realise it, a national charity has warned this week. -  12 June 2012
  • Lung disease patients share their views on better services - Somerset patients living with chronic lung disease have been sharing their views about the way services might be delivered in the future, at a meeting held near Ilminster last month - 11 June 2012
May 2012

April 2012
March 2012
  • Reduce salt to prevent a stroke - Do you find yourself reaching for the salt cellar every time you eat? Somerset health advisers say taking a moment before you start to sprinkle salt on your food could be a life saver.
    High blood pressure can be made worse by eating too much salt and high blood pressure is one of the major causes of a stroke - 30 March 2012
  • Parents asked to pledge their support for plain cigarette packaging campaign - A Somerset public health consultant is urging parents to sign up to support a campaign promoting the plain packaging of tobacco products - “Support Plain Packs – Save Our Children” - 27 March 2012
  • Top marks for Somerset's dental nurses - Somerset’s dental nurses have once again shown that they excel in both practical skills and academic qualifications. At a presentation in Yeovil last week (Thursday 22 March) thirteen Dental Nurses from across South Somerset and Taunton and were presented with their National Examining Board for Dental Nurses (NEBDN) certificates - 26 March 2012
  • Glastonbury folk p-p-p- pick up "warm homes keep you well" advice - People living in cold homes or struggling with heating bills in the Glastonbury area have been able to p-p-p- pick up some useful advice about keeping their homes warm and cheaper to heat - 16 March 2012
  • Somerset Primary Care Trust Public Board Meeting - The Board of Somerset Primary Care Trust will be holding its next Board meeting at 10.00 am on Thursday 22 March 2012 at Lyngford House, Selworthy Road,
    Taunton, Somerset - 13 March 2012
  • ‘Take the Leap' and think ahead to quit for 'No Smoking Day' - NHS Somerset's stop smoking specialists are urging smokers to “Take the Leap” this year and get ready to stop smoking on 14 March (National Stop Smoking Day) - 6 March 2012
  • Health Minister announces funding for new Bridgwater Community Hospital - The Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, has announced that Bridgwater in Somerset is to get a new community hospital - 6 March 2012
  • Blood in your pee? Be clear on cancer and see your GP - Somerset's Director of Public Health is urging people to be clear about the symptoms of bladder or kidney cancer and make sure they see their GP immediately if they spot any signs of “blood in their pee”... even if it is only the once - 6 March 2012
February 2012
January 2012