A new Salford project that brings exercise equipment into people’s homes is transforming lives and getting people back on their feet.

Respect Health is trialling a new way of delivering an exercise therapy course for people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). This is a serious condition that leads to chronic pain, gangrene, amputation (95% of amputations in the UK are caused by PAD) and death. People with PAD are at much higher risk of stroke or heart attack. Lifestyle factors such as smoking and inactivity play a huge part in its progression, so addressing these issues early is vital.

National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends supervised exercise therapy as the first line of treatment. However, research form Adam Haque, Founder at Respect Health, demonstrated that not even 7% of UK Trusts were offering compliant services.

Where hospitals were offering exercise therapy courses, take-up was low - people couldn’t attend the 12 weekly sessions due to lack of transport, work or family commitments.

That’s why Respect Health’s idea was to bring exercise therapy into people’s homes, giving them all the exercise equipment they needed to do the course, at a time to suit them. They gave each participant an easy-to-use mobile device with a large screen, designed for people who aren’t familiar with technology, as well as arranging internet access for those that didn’t already have it.

Participants use the device to watch a series of exercise sessions and copy the instructor. They’re asked to do a 30-minute session, five days a week, for 12 weeks. There is also a video-based stop smoking course, motivational counselling and general health and wellbeing tips. There are educational videos that explain why exercise works and why it’s so important. This gives people the motivation to keep on track and helps with wider health and wellbeing issues that may have contributed to their condition, such as addiction, self-worth and mental health. In the background, Respect Health’s coaches monitor each person’s progress and where they are struggling, provide individual advice and support to make sure they stay on track.

At the end of the 12 weeks, the person is put in touch with community support to help them maintain the positive changes.

Colin, 61, has recently completed the course, he said:

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“It’s a perfect programme and you do it from your own environment whenever you want. The team came to help set up in my living room and I was able to use the tablet straightaway and do the exercises. It’s only half an hour a day and it really works! This became such a great routine that after I finished my 12-week programme I got myself an exercise bike to continue working out, as I know the exercises now. It totally changes your outlook both mentally and physically. It’s like having both sides of the coin. I highly recommend it because you got nothing to lose (just a few stones) and everything to gain!”

Another participant, Carolyn, 61, said:

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“It’s great that you can fit the programme in around work, I don’t have to take any time off and can just do the exercise session when I get home. Although I’m a nurse, I still didn’t find the time to attend in-hospital exercise sessions. This in-home programme really helped me; I can walk further now, and my leg has stopped swelling. I feel so much better.”

Stephen, 54, was the first person to finish the course, he had just had a stent fitted and was in a lot of pain when he first started the course.

Stephen said:

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“I felt really motivated – at each session we were told how that exercise would help, so you understand what you’re doing it for. We’d get a new message every time there was a new session to complete and messages to say well done when you finished it. I’ve done a similar course at a hospital and this was so much easier, I just did the exercises first thing every morning. I feel fitter now, I can walk longer and my leg isn’t hurting anymore.”

Adam Haque, a Vascular Surgery Registrar and Clinical Lecturer in Manchester who set up the programme said:

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“It’s great to see how the project is improving people’s quality of life, giving them back their independence and helping them with their condition without having surgery. So far almost everyone who started the course has completed the full programme, which doesn’t usually happen when sessions take place at a hospital. We’re looking forward to welcoming the next cohort of people shortly.”

The project has been funded for 12 months through Salford Integrated Care Partnership’s Innovation and Improvement Fund, a scheme that’s available to organisations in Salford to test new ideas and innovative ways of working across primary care, the community and voluntary sector and with health and care providers. Since the fund was launched in 2013, over £9m has been invested in local innovation schemes to improve people’s lives.

Leading care provider Aspire Care and Support, based in Swinton, are hosting their first ever Dementia Memorial Service this December. Initially planned for 2021, the event was postponed due to covid restrictions but is now back on track with plans for an extra special event in 2022.

The not-for-profit organisation specialises in supporting people with Dementia and their families, as well as those with learning difficulties or complex needs. Having supported many families in the area the organisation recognised that there was a need for people to remember their loved ones during the festive season. The Dementia Memorial Service will take place on Monday 12th December, from 4pm at the Humphrey Booth Resource Centre in Swinton.

Lisa Dickinson, CEO of Aspire for Intelligent Care and Support, said:

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“We understand that whilst Christmas is often a joyful time filled with celebrations and love, it can also be tinged with sadness if we are facing it without a loved one or are caring for someone with dementia. We hope this meaningful and uplifting event will offer people strength, as we stand together to reflect on happier times and remember those we love.

“Everyone is welcome to attend, you do not need to have been supported by Aspire. We are all united in our loss to dementia and encourage you to join us for an evening of reflection and hope” 

Starting at 5pm, guests will be able to enjoy mince pies and hot drinks in the Forget Me Not Café whilst enjoying performances from Moorside Older Persons Choir and a local school choir. A remembrance tree will be lit with festive lights during the ceremony, with guests able to place their own personalised baubles or dedications on the tree. A selection of baubles will be available for visitors to personalise with your own heartfelt messages or to fill with your own items, such as photographs, which you can bring with you to the event. A suggested donation of £5 per bauble will help to raise proceeds for Poppy Dementia Support, located on site, which supports local residents who are living with dementia.

The memorial service will commence at 6pm and will be held outside in the grounds of the Humphrey Booth Resource Centre. Guests will hear from Aspire CEO Lisa Dickinson, and Volunteer Betty Burton, before two minutes of reflection and the tree lighting, led by local Vicar Karen Owen to remember loved ones as part of the service, before a vocal performance finale by Michelle Lee. Following the service, visitors will be able to take their baubles home with them to place on their own tree.

Chris Seward, Dementia Lead at Aspire, said:

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“We are really looking forward to hosting this event, and hope that it can become an annual tradition, bringing people together to remember and celebrate those dear to them.

"We welcome anyone who has lost someone to, or is living with, Dementia to come and mark the occasion, or anyone wishing to remember a loved one for reasons of their own"

 

Entry to the Dementia Memorial Service is free and is open to anyone who would like to attend. For more information, please contact 0161 607 7101 or email aspire@iamaspire.org.uk.

Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have launched a new support fund to aid leukaemia patients with the cost of living crisis this winter.

The Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund has been created in response to the financial crisis in the UK, and will help make a difference in the lives of leukaemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) or Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) patients who might struggle this winter with increased pressure on household bills. 

Over the past year, Leukaemia Care has provided over £70,000 of financial support to people affected by leukaemia, MDS or MPN. These grants seek to provide help for those who are struggling with increased bills, hospital travel costs or paying for food. 

Leukaemia UK previously committed an additional £20,000 grant towards the cost of continuing Leukaemia Care’s Financial Hardship Fund. 

As a result Leukaemia Care has been able to offer 464 grants to families affected by leukaemia, MDS and MDN.

With that funding now exhausted due to high demand, new funding was needed at a time when demand for financial grants has been amplified during the ongoing cost of living crisis. 

Leukaemia Care has seen a 400 per cent increase in the number of applications to its existing fund as the country enters a difficult winter where people who were already struggling financially due to their leukaemia diagnosis are now facing additional cost of living pressures. 

Around 43 per cent of patients reported a financial impact, either due to an increase in costs or a reduction in income, or indeed both. This increases to 55 per cent for acute leukaemia patients. To help address this need, Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have now come together to launch this new fund. 

Zack Pemberton-Whiteley, CEO of Leukaemia Care said:

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“We know how devastating the financial impact of leukaemia is to people affected, and the recent cost of living crisis has only increased this pressure further. Because of this, Leukaemia Care are pleased to be working with Leukaemia UK to launch the Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund to provide additional financial support to people affected by leukaemia and other blood cancers.”

Fiona Hazell, Chief Executive of Leukaemia UK, said: “Whilst many in the UK are struggling financially, we know that a leukaemia diagnosis adds extra financial pressures, on top of the emotional and physical challenges. Leukaemia UK and Leukaemia Care want to do everything we can to improve the lives of those with leukaemia and so are extremely pleased to be able to launch the Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund together.”

 

If you are in need of support, you can apply for the hardship fund here https://www.leukaemiacare.org.uk/support-and-information/support-for-you/cost-of-living-hub/cost-of-living-with-leukaemia-fund/

Leukaemia Care also has a range of services which can support patients, from counselling to buddy services, which help leukaemia patients at various stages of their journey. Find out more here https://www.leukaemiacare.org.uk/ contact advocacy@leukaemiacare.org.uk or call 08088 010 444. 

Photo: Zack Pemberton Whiteley, CEO of Leukaemia Care & Fiona Hazel, CEO of Leukaemia UK

This year over 3,500 people have already received help from support centres, which offer out of hours mental health support.

Community spaces across Greater Manchester known as ‘Crisis Cafés’ or ‘Listening Lounges’ offer a safe, comfortable, and confidential environment for anyone over the age of 18, who is feeling low, anxious, struggling with negative thoughts, or just wants to talk to someone during evenings or weekends.

The spaces offer support and advice from trained mental health workers in a relaxed environment, providing visitors with safe out of hours mental health support, whilst also taking pressure off emergency services, including busy A&E Departments, especially during the winter months.

The hubs are delivered by voluntary community and social enterprise partners supported by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) and, they are based in six locations across Greater Manchester – Bolton, Manchester City Centre, Harpurhey, Salford, Trafford, and Wigan.

This year, up to the end of October 2022, over 3,500 people accessed the out of hours service, diverting those who needed mental health support away from emergency services. This number is only expected to increase over the winter months.

An individual who previously accessed support at one of the Crisis Cafés said, the team were “calming and reassuring” and finding the service was “just what I needed at just the right time.”

As well as the community hubs, a free 24/7 helpline run by GMMH is also available to help anyone who feels their mental health is beginning to suffer during the winter months.

If you live in Bolton, Salford, Trafford, Manchester, or Wigan, and experiencing a mental health crisis, you can reach out to the GMMH helpline at any time, day or night, by calling freephone 0800 953 0285.

In addition, a mental health joint response car service will also be providing support across Bolton, Salford, Manchester, Trafford, and Wigan, and will soon be rolled-out to 7-days a week.

The mental health joint response car is jointly run by GMMH and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the response car service helps to support people experiencing a crisis who come into contact with GMP whilst also reducing the number of people presenting to emergency services at busy times, by providing specialist mental health support with a clinician attending incidents alongside the police.

Debbie Robinson, Strategic Lead for Urgent and Emergency Care at GMMH said:

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“We’re working with our partners to deliver essential out of hours services to help anyone who needs support with their mental health this winter, reducing pressures across our emergency services.

“If you, or someone you know, experiences a mental health crisis, please know that help is available.”

 

Locations, opening times, and contact details for the Crisis Cafés and Listening Lounges in Greater Manchester are listed below:

Bolton Listening Lounge, in partnership with 1point North West

Silverwell House, 1 Silverwell Lane, Bolton BL1 1QN

Open: Monday to Sunday, 3pm to 1am

Contact: Please call 01204 917739 ahead of your visit, or email listeningloungehelp@1pointbolton.org.uk

Harpurhey – No.93 Crisis Café

No.93 Harpurhey Wellbeing Centre, 93 Church Lane, Manchester M9 5BG

Open: Monday to Friday, 8pm to 1am, Saturday and Sunday, 3pm to 1am

Contact: Please phone ahead of dropping in, call 07778012838 or 0161 271 0339, or email GMMHCrisisCafe@gmmh.nhs.uk

Manchester City Centre – Recovery Lounge, in partnership with Turning Point

Open: Monday to Friday, 5pm to 12am, Saturday and Sunday, 3pm to 12am

Contact: Call 0161 238 5249 from midday onwards until 12am, every day.

Salford Listening Lounge

Open: 24-hours a day, every day, and referrals for Salford residents can be made by health care professionals. More details here.

Trafford – Bluesci at Night Crisis Café, in partnership with Bluesci

Old Trafford Resource Centre, 54-56 Seymour Grove, Manchester M16 0LN

Open: Monday to Friday, 7pm to 2am, Saturday and Sunday, 5pm to 2am

Contact: Text or call 07933 882743, or email crisiscafe@bluesci.org.uk

Wigan – Mental Health Support Hub

Lea Baker Café at Atherleigh Park, Atherleigh Way, Leigh WN7 1YN

Open: Monday to Sunday, 4.30pm until 11pm

Contact: If you are a Wigan service user, please contact your care co-ordinator or call Atherleigh Park reception on 01942 636 300 to check availability.

Find more details about Crisis Care services available at GMMH here.

From Wythenshawe to Cheetham Hill, and today Salford, the BooBee bus tour has hit the road this week to raise awareness of the importance of attending breast screenings, across areas in the region with the lowest uptake.

Greater Manchester has consistently fallen below the national average for screening uptake, with only 53.2% of Mancunians getting their breasts checked in 2021, compared to the national average of 64.2%*. With the help of the BooBee campaign, Prevent Breast Cancer aims to increase these rates, and help make Manchester the most breast aware city in the UK.

More than 55,900 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and with one in 10 instances of cancer being diagnosed late**, there has never been a more important time to take action. 

The week-long bus tour, part of the wider BooBee campaign, will see the bright pink BooBee bus visit the areas of Greater Manchester that have the lowest uptake of screening, educating on what happens at breast screening, who should attend and promoting the importance of breast screening and self examination, not just for those who screening is available to, but for all women of all ages. 

As part of the roadtrip, 100 charity ambassadors - women who have been personally affected by breast cancer - will travel with the bus to share their experiences and spread awareness of this devastating disease that has taken so many lives.

The BooBees will be accompanied by the team at Answer Cancer, Greater Manchester’s screening engagement programme, who will be on hand to answer any questions around breast screening.

The tour also aims to raise awareness among those living in deprived areas. 

Every year, 420 women in Greater Manchester die from breast cancer, and research has found that there is a strong link between deprivation and increased incidence of cancer. In Manchester, 60% of these breast cancer patients are from the most deprived groups***.

The tour started in Eastlands today, and will travel around Greater Manchester, with a final stop in Manchester fort Cheetham Hill on the 13th November. 

Breast cancer screenings help to save roughly 1,300 lives a year**** by using X-rays to check breasts for signs of cancer. Early detection is lifesaving and helps to increase the chance that treatment will be successful.

Alongside screening, which is available every three years to all women in the UK between the ages of 50 and 70, we encourage all women to regularly check their breasts to understand what's normal for them and seek out advice if they notice anything unusual. It can be done by examining monthly in the shower, lying down on the bed, whilst getting dressed or even blow drying hair.

Lester Barr, founder of Prevent Breast Cancer, said:

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“We are dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of attending breast screenings across Greater Manchester. There are a multitude of reasons that women don't attend their screening invitation, and we're committed to addressing the issue by learning more and communicating effectively with women of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds.

“We aim to proactively share information with different cultural and ethnic groups within different communities, whilst encouraging everyone to attend their screening invite and not only just check their breasts, but be aware of all the signs and symptoms, so that we are empowering each woman to know what's normal for them, and cancer can be diagnosed as early as possible.

“As the only UK charity dedicated to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer, Prevent Breast Cancer is passionate about creating a future free from breast cancer.”

 

Manchester Airport operator MAG is the headline sponsor of the BooBee campaign, supporting the fit out of the BooBee bus for its journey around the city, and promoting the project to the many thousands of people working at and travelling through the airport.

Tina Edwards, People Director at Manchester Airport, said:

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“We are proud to be supporting this crucial campaign, highlighting an issue that we know is close to the hearts of many of our colleagues and customers. Breast screening is vitally important and we want to encourage people across the region to get themselves checked”.

For more information about the campaign and where the bus is visiting, please check out https://preventbreastcancer.org.uk.

Salford residents are being encouraged to help stop local kids from smoking by reporting the sale of illegal tobacco.

As part of Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership’s ambition to make smoking history, it has re-launched its Keep it Out campaign across the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester to help reduce the supply and demand for illegal tobacco.

More than one in two young smokers have smoked illegal tobacco*. Children and young smokers are often targeted by people who sell illegal cigarettes and tobacco, making it even easier for them to get hooked on smoking. Sellers do not adhere to age restrictions and do not care about selling to children and young people.

As well as helping children to start smoking, criminal gangs supplying illegal tobacco are often involved in people trafficking, drugs or loan sharking. Buying it means supporting crime and can bring children into contact and into debt with criminals.

Enforcement teams across Salford are appealing for new information and asking people to anonymously report illegal tobacco sellers in their local communities.

Following 32 reports from concerned residents and businesses in the last year, the trading standards team has been active across Salford seizing more than 44,000 illegal cigarettes and 14kg** of illegal hand rolling tobacco through Operation CeCe, a partnership between National Trading Standards and HMRC to tackle illegal tobacco.

Even though the number of people smoking has halved, and the volume of both legal and illegal tobacco has reduced over the last two decades, Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership is urging the government to do more to make smoking history including more action to tackle the illegal tobacco trade and a new properly funded national tobacco control plan which includes a levy on tobacco manufacturer profits to fund prevention work, support to quit and enforcement activity.

Councillor Barbara Bentham, lead member for environment and community safety, Salford City Council, said:

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“We are committed to stamping out illegal tobacco in Salford, and our trading standards team is working closely with local police to keep it out of our communities and to prevent our most vulnerable residents from being exploited.

“But we need retailers and the public to anonymously report where illegal tobacco is being sold, so we can identify the criminals who are putting the health of our communities at risk.

“People might think illegal tobacco is a victimless crime, but buying it means funding the organised crime groups who bring it into the country and who are also linked to drugs and people trafficking. These people profit from keeping smokers addicted and enabling children to start smoking.”

 

Andrea Crossfield, Making Smoking History Lead at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said:

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“Tackling illegal tobacco is vital to make smoking history for future generations, and to help reduce the harms of smoking related illnesses such as lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory illness in local communities.

“Legal or illegal, all tobacco contains a toxic cocktail of chemicals which will kill two in three people who continue to smoke regularly. But illegal cigarettes are often responsible for getting children started on this lethal addiction – one that most people wish they hadn’t started. This is because of their availability at pocket money prices, and because dealers simply don’t care that they’re selling to children.

“No one wants their child to get hooked on smoking, but we know that most children who start smoking do continue on. By reporting illegal tobacco sales, you’re helping us keep our communities safe and smokefree.

“Anyone who is looking for help to quit smoking in Greater Manchester can visit our website  www.makesmokinghistory.com to find free local support.”

 

Kate Pike, Trading Standards North West Lead on Tobacco, said:

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“The lengths that people go to, to sell illegal tobacco to children, even in school uniform, are quite astonishing. But we are working with partners across Greater Manchester to crack down on illegal tobacco sellers by acting on intelligence.

“The illegal tobacco trade is run by criminals who exploit other vulnerable people, such as care leavers and immigrants. Many of these individuals are taken advantage of and coerced into living in horrible conditions, smuggling products and acting as a front for gangs involved in organised crime.

“We are encouraging residents and responsible businesses across Greater Manchester to report illegal tobacco sales, so enforcement teams can take more products off the street. It is simply not acceptable to buy or sell illegal tobacco products.”

 

The sale of illegal tobacco can be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 or at keep-it-out.co.uk.

The prevalence of reception-aged children living with obesity in England during 2021-22 was over twice as high in the most deprived areas (13.6%) than in the least deprived areas (6.2%).

This difference is also seen in year 6 children - with 31.3% living with obesity in the most deprived areas compared with 13.5% in the least deprived areas.

Published by NHS Digital, the National Child Measurement Programme, England – 2021-224 report found that the prevalence of reception-aged children living with severe obesity was over three times as high for children living in the most deprived areas (4.5%) than for children living in the least deprived areas (1.3%).

Similarly, the prevalence of year 6 children living with severe obesity was over four times as high for children living in the most deprived areas (9.4%) compared with those living in the least deprived areas (2.1%).

The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) – overseen by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and analysed and reported by NHS Digital – measures the height and weight of children in England annually and provides data on the number of children in reception and year 6 who are underweight, healthy weight, overweight, living with obesity or living with severe obesity. 

Geography: 

The prevalence of reception-aged children living with obesity in 2021-22 was highest in the North East (11.4%) and the West Midlands (11.3%).  It was lowest in the South East (8.7%), South West (8.9%) and East of England (9.2%).

For year 6, the prevalence of children living with obesity was highest in the North East (26.6%), the West Midlands (26.2%) and London (25.8%). It was lowest for year 6 children in the South West (19.8%), the South East (20.0%) and the East of England (21.4%).

Underweight prevalence was highest in London for reception-aged children at 1.9% and year 6 at 1.7%.

The prevalence of children living with obesity varied by local authority8. For reception-aged children, this ranged from 5.4% in Richmond upon Thames to 14.9% in Sandwell. In year 6 the range was from 12.4% in Surrey, to 34.0% in Sandwell.

The prevalence of children living with obesity was highest in urban areas for both age groups: 10.4% in reception and 24.4% in year 6.

Time series: 

The prevalence of reception-aged children living with obesity had been relatively stable since 2006-07, but it saw a 4.6 percentage point increase from 9.9% in 2019-20 to 14.4% in 2020-21, the main year of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This latest data shows a decrease to 10.1% in 2021-22 which is 0.4 percentage points above the pre-pandemic figure from 2018-19.

For year 6, the prevalence of children living with obesity increased slowly from 19.0% in 2010-11 to 21.0% in 2019-20 and then increased by 4.5 percentage points to 25.5% in 2020-21.

This latest data shows a decrease to 23.4% in 2021-22 which is 3.2 percentage points above the pre-pandemic figure from 2018-19.

Ethnicity: 
The prevalence of children living with obesity in 2021-22 was highest for Black children in both reception (16.2%) and year 6 (33.0%). It was lowest for Chinese children in both reception (4.5%) and year 6 (17.7%).

Underweight prevalence was highest for Asian children in both reception (4.3%) and year 6 (3.3%).

 

The number of detentions under the Mental Health Act in England decreased by 5.7 per cent from 2020-21 to 2021-22, a new report by NHS Digital shows.

The Mental Health Act Statistics 2021-2022 publication provides Official Statistics about people with a mental disorder who are detained (or ‘sectioned’) under the Act in hospital, in the interests of their own health or safety, or for the protection of others. It covers people in secure psychiatric hospitals, other NHS trusts and independent providers1.

In 2021-2022, 53,337 new detentions under the Mental Health Act were recorded but the overall number will be higher. Not all providers submitted data and some submitted incomplete data2.

From the providers that submitted good quality data, there was an estimated decrease in detentions of 5.7 per cent from 2020-21 to 2021-223.

For the first time, this publication includes data relating to count and crude rate4 per 100,000 population of all detentions at combined Sustainability and Transformation Partnership5 and demographic (age, gender, ethnicity and deprivation) breakdowns.

The publication also shows:

• Detention rates were higher for males (93.8 per 100,000 population) than females (86.4 per 100,000 population).

• Among adults, detention rates tend to decline with age. Known detention rates for the 18 to 34 age group (144.2 detentions per 100,000 population) were around 67% higher than for those aged 65+ (86.3 per 100,000 population).

• Among the five broad ethnic groups, known rates of detention for the Black or Black British group (341.7 detentions per 100,000 population) were over four times those of the White group (72.4 per 100,000 population).

• Known rates of Community Treatment Order (CTO) use for males (12.4 per 100,000 population) were higher than the rate for females (7.3 per 100,000 population). Across age groups, those aged 35 to 49 had the highest rate of CTO use (16.4 known uses per 100,000 population compared to 9.8 uses per 100,000 population for all age groups).

• Among broad ethnic groups, known rates of CTO use for the Black or Black British group (75.5 uses per 100,000 population) were over 11 times the rate for the White group (6.8 uses per 100,000 population).

Millions of people aged 50 and over will be able to book their autumn booster and flu vaccines tomorrow, as the NHS Covid-19 and flu programmes continue to protect the country ahead of winter.

Online and phone bookings will open to around 12 million people aged between 50 and 64 to book their Covid jabs tomorrow (Friday 14 October).

And for the first time, the service will allow some people who are eligible for a flu vaccine to book an appointment online under a new pilot with more than 200 sites across the country.

More than 7 million people have already had their autumn booster in just over a month, following a bumper week last week of almost 2 million jabs being delivered to people aged 65 and over and those most at risk from Covid.

Record numbers of sites are delivering autumn boosters since the campaign began a month ago, while the flu jab is being offered at thousands of community pharmacies and GP surgeries across England.

The public can still book flu vaccinations through their GP practice or by visiting a participating community pharmacy. Please call 119 if you need help.

Approximately 26 million people are eligible for an autumn Covid-19 booster, with health leaders warning of a ‘twindemic’ of the two illnesses this winter, and have urged people to come forward for their jabs.

NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said:

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“Thanks to the incredible work of our frontline staff across the country, our Covid autumn vaccination programme continues to go from strength to strength as we open up eligibility to around 12 million more people from tomorrow.

“The rollout is off to a flying start – we have invited twice as many people as we did last autumn and we have jabbed twice as many people as we did last autumn.

“As we approach what could be an extremely challenging winter for the NHS, it is vital to get your protection against both Covid and flu so please come forward and book in when you can”.

 

NHS Director for Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said:

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“More than 7 million autumn Covid boosters have been administered so far thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and volunteers, and while this is a brilliant start, our work is not done as more than 12 million people are now being invited to take up the offer and book an appointment as soon as possible.

“Vaccinations are our strongest weapon against these viruses and NHS staff are once again doing all they can to protect the public, including through a new trial that will allow people to book their flu jab through the National Booking Service.

“If you are between 50 and 64 then please do not hesitate to log on and book yourself an appointment; it is the best way to protect yourself from serious illness this winter”.

 

Around 33 million people in England will be eligible for a free flu vaccine this year, including all primary-age and some secondary-age children, who will be offered a nasal spray.

While sites are co-administering the flu and Covid vaccines where possible, people may be required to book two separate appointments for the different vaccines.

Public Health and Mental Health Minister Dr Caroline Johnson said:

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“It is really encouraging that millions of people have already come forward for their flu and Covid booster vaccines, increasing their immunity ahead of winter when viruses circulate more easily.

“Those eligible can now easily book a free flu and autumn booster vaccine online through the National Booking Service. Please come forward to give yourself and your loved ones vital protection over the coming months.”

 

Chief Medical Advisor at the UK Health Security Agency Dr Susan Hopkins said:

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“The double threat of widely circulating flu and Covid-19 this year is a real concern, so it’s crucial that you take up the free flu vaccine as soon as possible if you are offered it. It will help protect you from severe flu this winter, and even save your life.

“All those over 50 are now eligible for the jab, many of which will have low natural immunity due to Covid-19 restrictions over the last two years”.

 

Those eligible for the flu jab are:

• people aged 50 and over
• those aged between six months and 49 years with a specified health condition
• some secondary school-aged children
• 2 and 3-year-olds
• pregnant women
• primary school-aged children
• those in care homes
• people who are carers, as set out in the Green Book
• frontline healthcare workers
• frontline social care staff who do not have access to occupational health schemes
• household contacts of people with weakened immune systems.

In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, those eligible for an autumn Covid booster this year include:

• residents in care homes for older adults
• staff working in care homes for older adults
• frontline health and social care workers
• all adults aged 50 years and over
• persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, as set out in the Green Book
• persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
• persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers, as set out in the Green Book.

For a full list of pharmacies offering a free NHS flu vaccination, including those not part of the NHS pilot, please visit the nhs.uk website.

Pharmacies are taking appointment bookings for flu vaccination online.

More than 131 million Covid vaccines have been administered by NHS staff and volunteers since the first Covid-19 jab was delivered outside of clinical trials to Maggie Keenan in Coventry in December 2020.

Thanks to a £2million donation from the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding NHS hospital helipads, the construction of a state-of-the-art helipad on top of the first standalone Major Trauma Hospital in the UK, at Salford Royal Hospital, is now complete.

The donation, made from the HELP Appeal to Salford Royal Hospital, has funded the entire development of one of the first rooftop helipads in the country, with direct access to a lift down to the Emergency Department, saving valuable time for critically ill patients needing lifesaving treatment.

Air ambulance patients currently must land in a nearby sports field and are then transported to the Emergency Department by road ambulance. It is anticipated that having an on-site helipad at Salford Royal Hospital could save 20 vital minutes for a patient. The helipad is due to become operational when the Major Trauma Hospital opens in June 2023, with an anticipated 360 landings on the helipad every year.

The helipad has been made purely from aluminium, including the support structure, and has been constructed with almost 1,000 bolts, so it is able to hold a colossal 8600kg, the estimated weight of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Built on top of the Greater Manchester Major Trauma Hospital on the Salford Royal Hospital site, the square helipad deck is approximately 26.4 metres squared.

Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal said,

Quote

 

“Hospitals and helicopters help to save lives. But a helipad also plays a key role by linking the two together so seriously ill patients can be transferred quickly and seamlessly to the Emergency Department after landing in an air ambulance. This is why we had no hesitation in making the £2million donation, which was only made possible by our supporters.”

“We’re delighted to have received support from the HELP Appeal to construct the helipad, which will have a huge impact on our ability to treat the most seriously injured patients from across the northwest.”

 

Stuart Loftus, Construction Manager at BAM Construction Ltd said,

Quote

 

“The team are extremely proud that the helipad has been completed on time and to our high standards. It’s another milestone towards the Major Trauma Hospital being ready to accept patients by Summer 2023.

“It’s testament to the hard work of the team here at BAM that work on the hospital is progressing on time, and we’re pleased to be leading a project that will make such a difference to patients in Greater Manchester.”

 

Photo: Robert Bertram (HELP Appeal) presenting £2m cheque to Salford Royal on new rooftop helipad

Recovery Academy launches new face to face and online mental health resources on World Mental Health Day

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH)’s Recovery Academy is back this Autumn, with the launch of their latest term on World Mental Health Day, including new face-to-face courses and a brand-new website.

The new term will run from October 2022 to March 2023; and will feature a range of brand-new courses including ‘An Introduction to Emotional Freedom Technique’, ‘Understanding and Responding to Crises’ and ‘Family Law - The Basics’.

With their newly designed website, you can explore over 60 courses on offer, easily book onto courses and learn with a range of online resources. The term will also feature many tried and tested favourites, on topics such as Trauma, Personality Disorder, Addiction, Depression, Sleep, Worry Management, and many more.

Face-to-face courses are available at various locations across Manchester, Bolton, Salford, Trafford and Wigan.

First launched in 2013, the GMMH Recovery Academy offers people learning opportunities to help them manage and promote good mental health and wellbeing.

All courses and resources are created and delivered by professionals alongside people with lived experience, to make sure they are relevant, well-informed, and based on real experiences.

Courses and resources are aimed at those looking to increase their knowledge and understanding in mental health and/or addiction, improve their wellbeing, or support someone else’s - or those who simply want to learn something new.

The Academy is free to join and available to:

·         Anyone who is experiencing mental health or addiction problems (you do not have to be under NHS mental health services).

·         Their supporters (family, friends and loved ones).

·         GMMH staff members, volunteers, and students on placement.

·         Any healthcare professionals.

A student who recently attended the Introduction to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Informed Practice course said:

“One of the best training days I have done, I can and will definitely use my newfound skills and knowledge.”

Claire Watson, Head of Service User/Carer Engagement & Improvement, with responsibility for the Recovery Academy, said:

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“We are so excited to be back and launching our new term, alongside our brand-new website! The team have been working hard over the past few months to try and create a website that works for all our learners and is easy to use. We hope you enjoy the new site and would welcome any feedback.”

“Despite our new look, however, we still have our tried and tested face to face courses, as well as some brand-new courses for students to explore. We also continue to offer a range of electronic recourses, including e-learning packages, self-help worksheets, podcasts, e-magazines and self-help videos.”

“The Recovery Academy also offers bespoke training packages for other organisations and has successfully delivered trauma informed mental health training to various partners in the past 12 months including, Metrolink, Greater Manchester Supported Housing Providers, Greater Manchester Faith Leaders and TACT care. If you are interested in bespoke training for your organisation, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.”

“We hope our students enjoy everything the Recovery Academy has to offer this term and if you think we have missed something, we are always looking to develop our service so please do get in touch.”

 

To explore what the Recovery Academy can offer you, visit their website at www.gmmh.nhs.uk/recovery.

You can also contact the Recovery Academy team directly with any questions at recoveryacademy@gmmh.nhs.uk or telephone 0161 358 1771.

World Suicide Prevention Day is this Saturday, and in the lead up to this national awareness day we have spoken with Dr Rosey Tattersall, Consultant Clinical Psychologist.

On and around World Suicide Prevention Day we may be experiencing a mass of feelings. Some will have lost people close to them or have a friend or relative who has thought about or tried to take their own life. Some of you may have experienced suicidal thoughts or feelings yourselves.

I was asked in this piece to give some guidance about how you might talk to someone who is feeling suicidal or expressing suicidal thoughts, what might or might not be helpful. It’s never a one size fits all but here are some things you might think about.

1. It’s good to talk!

Helping someone talk might be the first step to the person getting help. There are lots of professionals who can provide help, but that first conversation can make a huge difference. Mind recommend that you;

Ask open questions – this allows the person to speak in more detail rather than just give a yes or no answer.

Give the person time – you may feel anxious to hear what the person has to say but be patient and allow time so the conversation doesn’t feel rushed. Make time to check back in regularly.

Take the person seriously. Not everyone that talks about suicide will follow through with it, but some do. It’s important that the person knows you are really listening and validate their feelings rather than trying to jump to problem solving straight away.

Don’t skirt around the issue. Many people still feel the taboo of admitting mental health difficulties. Asking a direct question ‘Are you thinking about suicide?’ can be helpful in giving the person the go-ahead to open up. It can feel scary but research shows that encouraging someone to talk can reduce the likelihood of them acting on feelings rather than making it more likely.

2. Offer emotional support

Avoid judgement. Although it can feel scary, shocking, and confusing for you it’s important the person does not feel blamed. They have taken a big risk in talking to you.

Listen and stay calm.

Try not to make assumptions. It’s important to be clear and not to make assumptions based on your own feelings.

Whilst it’s important to build trust it’s also crucial that if you feel a person is at risk you encourage them to get further help. You may also need support after the conversation. Never be afraid to ask for guidance.

Take care everyone and remember that one conversation might touch many lives.

GREATER Manchester has been awarded further funding to commission independent advisors who will support victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has awarded Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) £1,170,000 for additional Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (IDSA). Both roles work independently from the police, with a number of charities and organisations being commissioned by GMCA to recruit an additional nine advisors. The money will also help fund the continuation of already existing posts.

The purpose of a Domestic Violence Advisor is to address the safety of victims at high risk of harm from intimate partners, ex-partners, or family members to secure their safety and the safety of their children. An Independent Sexual Violence Advisor works to provide emotional and practical support for anyone who has experienced current or historic rape, sexual abuse or assault. If someone has reported a sexual offence to the police, an advisor can also offer support and advice on the Criminal Justice System.

More than 18 advisors will be working across the city-region, with the funding in place for three years. There will also be advisors who specialise in working with LGBT victims, children and young people, as well as victims of stalking and harassment.

The MoJ has also granted GMCA more than £730k to support victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as prevent crimes from happening. Funding will be awarded to a number of charities and organisations to develop witness centres, increase the diversity of support on offer in the city-region as well as increase therapeutic support for victims.

Bev Hughes, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire, said: 

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“This is a substantial amount of funding which will ensure some of the most vulnerable victims in Greater Manchester are given the support they need.

“Improving support for vulnerable and marginalised people is an issue we’re passionate about in Greater Manchester and we are committed to transforming victims’ services to ensure every victim of crime has access to the right support, regardless of whether they make the decision to report a crime to police.

“The additional funding to develop witness centres and therapeutic support for victims will also help to improve the provision on offer to victims, as well as help our work to tackle Gender Based Violence and abuse in all its forms.”

 

Gill Smallwood, Chief Executive for Fortalice, said: 

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“This funding is welcomed and will help us to provide a much-needed service for victims who have suffered sexual abuse within their relationships.

“We now have more victims coming forwards and feedback from victims who have used the service is that they have often never been able to talk about the trauma of the abuse they have suffered. Having a specialist ISVA in the service will help so many people to overcome their horrendous experiences.”

 

Phil East, Chief Executive of Salford Foundation, said: 

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“We are delighted to have been awarded this additional funding. With high demand for services in our children and young people’s team, this funding will enable us to reduce waiting lists and provide support to more young people, helping them to live safer lives.”

The following organisations will receive funding to recruit new domestic violence and sexual violence advisors:

Victim Support Rochdale

Oldham Council

SafeNet

Trafford Domestic Abuse Service (TDAS)

Endeavour

Salford Foundation (Safe in Salford Partnership)

Stockport without Abuse

LGBT Foundation

Migdal Emunah

The following local authorities and organisations have also received funding to continue funding advisors for another three years:

Oldham Council

Rochdale Council

Salford Council

Stockport Council

Tameside Council

Trafford Council

Wigan Council

Manchester Women’s Aid

St Mary’s SARC

Migdal Emunah

GM Rape Crisis

Survivors Manchester

SARC

A number of support services are available for victims in Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester Victim Support can be reached on 0300 303 0162.

The local victim care team in Greater Manchester lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am-7pm and Saturday 9am-5pm.

Alternatively, you can contact Victim Support via live chat and find details of a range of support services at https://www.gmvictims.org.uk. The out of hours support line can be reached on 0808 1689 111.

Care home residents and staff are set to be among the first in the world to receive the new, variant-tackling jabs from next week, as the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme moves to the next phase.

The autumn booster rollout will begin on Monday with England’s care home residents, staff and people who are housebound first in line to receive their top up ahead of winter.

Around four million people who are at highest risk, including the over 75s and those with weakened immune systems, will also be eligible to book a vaccine through the National Booking Service next week, with the first appointments available from the following week.

The NHS will visit hundreds of care homes in the first week with thousands more planned throughout September and October.

Millions of invitations will be landing on doormats from 7 September inviting people to book their appointment without delay as the NHS protects the nation from COVID once again ahead of winter. The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to book in.

A record 3,100 sites are expected to be part of the rollout, including GP practices and community pharmacies, with new sites joining the programme all the time.

NHS Chief Executive Amanda Pritchard said:

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“The precision and speed of the NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme allowed us to get back to a pre-pandemic way of life and doing the things that we love.

“While we know that this winter will be challenging with a likely resurgence in both COVID and flu for the first time since before the pandemic, the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones from serious illness is to get the newly approved, next generation covid vaccine when invited to do so, as well as your annual flu jab, to ensure you have maximum protection”.

NHS Director of Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said:

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“The NHS will begin vaccinating those who are most vulnerable to covid from next week, with the autumn campaign kicking off in care homes from Monday and four million more people will be invited to come forward later in the week.

“NHS staff are gearing up once again to deliver these vaccines at speed rolling out jabs at more than 3,000 sites across England in order to provide the maximum protection ahead of winter”.

 

The autumn booster campaign is among a package of NHS measures to prepare for winter as the health service continues to face record demand on its urgent and emergency care services, including by ramping up bed capacity, increasing the number of 999 and NHS 111 staff, and working with colleagues in social care to ensure patients can be discharged in a timely manner.

The latest phase of the vaccination drive has undergone extensive planning and local areas have already booked care home residents in for their vaccine to ensure they can get protected at the earliest opportunity.

As with previous campaigns, the oldest and most vulnerable will be called forward first, with people able to book in online or through 119 as long as it has been three months since their last dose.

The NHS will continue to advise local sites to allow people with a weakened immune system to self-declare and attend walk-ins to make getting the extra protection as easy as possible.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

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“Our autumn booster programme kicks off from Monday, with care home residents, staff and the housebound the first to receive their jabs.

“An autumn booster will top up the immunity of those most vulnerable to COVID ahead of the winter to help us continue to live with this virus without restrictions.

“Please come forward for your booster and flu vaccine when invited”.

 

Around 26 million people across England will be eligible for an autumn booster over the comings weeks, which includes over 50s, those with a weakened immune system, health and social care workers and care home residents and housebound people, in line with guidance set out by the JCVI.

Well over four in five eligible people received a spring booster earlier this year and the NHS urged those people to get that dose before the end of July in order to ensure enough time had passed to optimise the protection an autumn booster would provide over winter.

More than 126 million COVID vaccines have been administered by NHS staff and volunteers since the first COVID-19 jab was delivered outside of clinical trials to Maggie Keenan in Coventry in December 2020.

The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to book in for the vaccine – you do not need to contact the NHS.

The NHS will also be rolling out the flu vaccine and encouraging eligible people to take up the offer from the first of the month where possible.

Eligible individuals may be offered the flu and COVID jab at the same time subject to supply, with the doses approved to be co-administered.

Local systems will roll the flu jab out in a way that works best for them.

A consultant clinical psychologist at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has been shortlisted for The Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero award

The Sun's Who Cares Wins Awards, in partnership with NHS Charities Together, celebrates our healthcare heroes from the frontline NHS staff to the ordinary people who go above and beyond. 

Broadcast on Channel 4 and produced by Thames (a Fremantle label), the awards are sponsored by The National Lottery. 

Winners will be announced at a star-studded ceremony hosted by Davina McCall and screened on Channel 4 on Sunday September 18th.

The shortlist for The Caroline Flack Mental Health Hero award is: Dr Azza Aglan, Manchester 

Dr Azza is a consultant clinical psychologist who works in the allergy clinic at Wythenshawe Hospital for Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) and provides mental health support to people with severe allergies.

She was nominated by Beth McKenzie who suffers from a life-threatening peanut allergy and became virtually housebound after developing severe anxiety over fears she might suffer an allergic reaction. 

Beth’s life has been transformed thanks to Clinical Psychologist Dr Azza Aglan, who, since setting up a special unit at the Allergy Centre at Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester six years ago, has helped transform the lives of 150 patients. 

Beth said:

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“Before I met Azza, I was unable to eat outside of my house for the fear that I would have an allergic reaction. I stopped going out, I stopped eating the food my family had made me - I stopped living. I couldn't even trust myself.”

She says of her life now:

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“I am living the life I always dreamed of, and I owe a lot of that to Azza. I honestly don't know what I'd have done without her. It is so incredibly important that the work she does is recognised. I hope people hear what she has done, and it inspires other medical professionals to do the same by setting up designated psychology services in allergy departments.”

Dr Aglan is currently one of the only clinical psychologists attached to an adult allergy clinic in the country. The service is a partnership between Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Dr Aglan said:

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“Increasing evidence highlight the complex interaction between physical and mental health. Mental health difficulties that people with long-term physical health conditions experience impact on recovery and quality of life. We have the privilege of supporting people on their journey. There is no health without mental health.”

“It has been life changing for me” - Service creating new ways of helping people with their mental health is successful, report finds

Living Well Salford, one of only four original pilot sites in the UK, saw 83% of service users reach one or more of their goals

Living Well Salford - a community mental health service delivered in partnership between Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH), Mind in Salford, Wellbeing Matters, and START - has been hailed a success in a recent external evaluation report.

The service, which was set up as one of only four national pilot sites in the UK, as part of the Living Well UK programme, offers holistic support for people struggling with their mental health in Salford. It listens to people and connects them with the support they need in the community, based on their individual needs, which could include areas such as finance, housing, employment, loneliness, and/or mental health support and treatment.

The final evaluation report undertaken by the Innovation Unit, found that Living Well Salford has supported people to achieve improved outcomes, including recovering from mental health problems and staying well enough to live the life they want to achieve.

The report, published on 15 August 2022, found that 83% of people that have been supported through the service have successfully reached one or more of their goals. It found that over half have experienced a ‘meaningful Improvement’ in their recovery and quality of life.

Since the service launched in July 2020, over 30,000 ‘interventions’ have been delivered through the service, including: community activities, trauma-specific support, employment support, mental health treatments and peer support.

The report also found that people were able to access the service quickly. On average, people waited only 14 days from being referred to Living Well Salford to their introduction to the service.

This comes shortly after the announcement that Living Well Salford has been shortlisted for ‘Mental Health Innovation of the Year’ in the prestigious national Health Service Journal awards 2022.

Peer support is offered by Living Well Salford’s Peer Support Workers, who are ‘experts by experience’, able to connect with people from a place of understanding as they know what it is like to walk in their shoes.

Sarah Buckley was first introduced to Living Well Salford as a service user a number of years ago. She is now a Peer Support Worker at Living Well Salford. She said:

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“You wouldn’t think that your dream job could ever exist, but mine does. I love every aspect of my peer mentoring role – it is all about using my lived experience to help other people. It’s so empowering to be involved in the decisions of how the service is going to work.

“This service is person-centred – we ask people what they want, what they like, and what keeps them well, and sort this for them. I spend time with people on a range of activities to help them move forward, from gardening, to art and sometimes we’ll just have a coffee and share stories.

“The feedback we’ve been getting has been really positive. Getting people involved in the social side of things keeps them well, and it’s so exciting to be a part of it.”

 

One person who was supported by the service, and is quoted in the report, said:

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“I got matched up with someone who had the same condition as me, it was a peer mentor, and this made me feel at ease. Being with them made me see I could have this condition and still live a normal life.”

Another said:

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“Living Well has been life changing for me, they have helped me to understand why my brain moves so fast, and how to cope with it.”

Tammy Young, Service Manager at Living Well Salford, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust said:

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“Living Well Salford is a new and innovative approach that has been co-designed with service users, voluntary organisations, local authority, health, and mental health service providers. 

“I’m incredibly proud of the team and the way we have worked together with our local communities to create this service. There’s a real spirit of community and togetherness, where all stakeholders are valued equally and their views shape the way we do things.

“I am delighted to see the success of the service reflected in our final evaluation report; alongside our Health Service Journal Awards shortlisting. Going forward, we will prioritise implementing the recommendations to make our service the best it can possibly be to serve the needs of our communities.”

 

A Salford programme has been recognised for its outstanding contribution to healthcare.

Living Well Salford is a service for people with mental health problems that are too complex for primary care but don’t meet criteria for secondary care mental health services. This group of people often had no support or were unable to access support until they reached crisis point.

Salford’s Living Well offer was developed over three years and involved people with lived experience, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Start; the arts based mental health charity, Mind in Salford and Six Degrees Social Enterprise, Salford’s Primary Care Networks, Salford CCG and Salford City Council, working alongside community social prescribing offers such as Wellbeing Matters.  Together they designed and delivered a personalised support service that started in one area of Salford and is now being rolled out across the city, following the approval of a £3 million business case in early 2022.

The Living Well offer includes peer support workers, mental health practitioners and recovery workers to work with people on a one to one basis to identify and meet goals for improved mental health.

The programme, funded by the Big Lottery Fund, was one of three national sites involved in the national Living Well Programme, managed by the Innovation Unit.

Tom Stannard, Salford’s Place-based Lead at Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said:

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“The announcement that Living Well Salford has been shortlisted for the HSJ awards, in the category of Mental Health Innovation of the Year is incredibly exciting and is a testament to the hard work of the partners implementing the offer. 

Living Well Salford has been a true reflection of the spirit of Salford, with partners working together to co-design and co-produce an offer to meet the needs of people who were previously not getting the support they needed. Salford is proud to be at the forefront of designing new models of mental health support, and this work will inform our wider community mental health transformation plans as we look forward to embedding Living Well Salford across the whole city.”

 

The selected winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at the Battersea Evolution Centre, London on November 17th 2022.

A COVID-19 vaccine study, analysing third dose booster options for 12 to 15-year-olds, is open at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

This latest study arm of the University of Oxford-led Com-COV programme is testing multiple options for third booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines for young people.

Current UK Government guidance is that children and young people aged 12 to 17-years-old receive two doses of vaccine, eight weeks apart.

Participants in the Com-COV 3 study – who have previously received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, at least three months before – will receive a third dose of either:

further full adult dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (30 mcg)

one-third adult dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (10 mcg)

full child dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (10 mcg)

full dose Novavax vaccine

meningitis vaccine, followed by a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine later in the study (control group)

Researchers will then examine reactions and immune response of vaccine combinations.

The study is single-blind and randomised, meaning participants will not know what third dose vaccine they are receiving until three months later.

The Com-COV 3 study has been commissioned through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and aims to recruit 380 volunteers across nine NIHR-supported sites. This includes Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, which is part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).

Matthew Snape, Professor in Paediatrics and Vaccinology at the University of Oxford and Chief Investigator of the trial, said: 

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“This study builds on the important results from previous studies, which have directly informed the national and international use of mixed COVID-19 vaccine schedules. These studies have included teenagers receiving the first two vaccine doses.

“A key question for teenagers now is how well they respond to different options for a third dose of vaccine – and we now need the help of young people across Greater Manchester help us answer this.

“If these can be shown to produce a strong immune response with fewer temporary side effects, then this could improve the acceptability and uptake of a third dose adolescent campaign, both in the UK and internationally.”

 

As well as analysing the immune system responses to these new combinations of vaccines, as well as any potential side effects, researchers will also examine if a one-third adult dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is at least as good as a full child dose of the same vaccine.

Professor Andrew Ustianowski, NIHR Clinical Lead for COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, Joint National Infection Specialty Lead and Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at North Manchester General Hospital – part of MFT – said:

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“It’s very important that continued research into how we can best protect teenagers against COVID-19 takes place.

“The Com-COV 3 study will help us to develop a better understanding of adolescents immunity when it comes to booster jabs.

“Thousands of volunteers are still stepping forward for a number of vaccine booster studies, two years on since we began to recruit into the first COVID-19 vaccine studies.

“Their time, support and generosity has been immense and helps us build upon the science of vaccine combinations. The latest stage of the Com-COV 3 study will be key to providing important data on protecting young people and their families.”

 

Professor Indi Banerjee, Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist, is Principal Investigator of Com-COV 3 at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital – meaning he leads the study locally.

Professor Indi Banerjee, said:

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“We are tremendously proud that this nationally important trial is now open here at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

“I encourage teenagers from across our region to considering being a part of this research and playing a role in the future of clinical care.”

Sara Kamaly-Asl, who is 14-years-old, has already taken part in Com-COV 3 at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Sara said:

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“I wanted to do this so I could have more protection against COVID-19 and its variants to help me, my family and friends.

“I also really wanted to help improve medical knowledge and understanding on how the vaccines work.”

Sara’s dad, Ian Kamaly-Asl, who is Professor of Paediatric Neurosurgery at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, added: 

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“I am very proud of Sara volunteering to take part in the Com-COV 3 study.

“She really impressed me with how brave she has been to subject herself to the blood tests!”

 

All those who are interested in participating in this research can register via the study website: comcovstudy.org.uk.

Patients with long-lasting symptoms from COVID will have access to more convenient tests and checks closer to home, under new NHS measures announced today.

Specialist clinics, dedicated to long COVID, will now be able to send people for tests at local one stop shops and mobile clinics, rather than people going back to their GP practice for multiple different tests.

Backed by an additional £90 million investment, the updated long COVID plan includes ambitions for all patients to have an initial assessment within six weeks to ensure they are diagnosed and treated quickly.

Latest estimates from the ONS show that around 1.6 million people in England are experiencing ongoing COVID symptoms lasting more than four weeks, with around one in five saying it has a significant impact on their daily life.

The plan, which has been developed with expert insights from patients, clinicians and partners across the health and care system, shows the NHS has already made significant progress on delivering the 10 commitments it set out for long COVID services just over one year ago.

This includes establishing a nationwide network of 90 specialist long COVID clinics, 14 hubs for children and young people and investment in training and guidance to support GP teams in managing the condition.

A community outreach van in Mid and South Essex is already seeing patients with suspected long COVID symptoms for booked appointments and walk-ins before referring them for further assessments where needed.

The mobile service offers a range of checks including blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation, spirometry and other tests for breathlessness as well as electrocardiography.

Dr Kiren Collison, GP and chair of the NHS long COVID taskforce said: 

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“Long COVID can be devastating for those living with it, and while we continue to learn more about this new condition, it’s important people know they’re not alone, and that the NHS is here for them.

“In just under two years, the NHS has invested £224m to support people experiencing long term effects from COVID – from setting up specialist clinics, hubs for children, and an online recovery platform, to providing training for GP teams.

“Today’s plan builds on this world-leading care, to ensure support is there for everyone who needs it, and that patients requiring specialist support can access care in a timely and more convenient way.”

 

Many of those experiencing long term symptoms, will make a full recovery with support from their community healthcare or GP team, but for those suffering from the more complex and severe symptoms, the NHS has set up specialist long COVID clinics across the country.

Long COVID clinics offer a comprehensive multidisciplinary service including physical, cognitive and psychological assessments and management and can also refer patients for further rehabilitation, treatment and other support.

Lizzie Burr, 62 from Warwick, was referred to her local specialist long COVID clinic, she said: 

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“I caught COVID in early 2020 and initially managed my symptoms at home expecting they would pass, however over a month later I was still really poorly, and my condition didn’t seem to be improving.

“I was struggling with fatigue and breathlessness, which has severely limited my mobility, as well as nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.

“I was referred to the long COVID clinic in Stratford by my GP, and following an initial assessment, I received specialist support from a respiratory physio to improve my breathing, as well as a dietician who has helped me with food and exercise.

“Whilst I’m still in the process of recovery, I can’t speak highly enough of the long COVID clinic, for me it’s been a lifeline and has helped me both physically and mentally. I would encourage anyone who is worried about long COVID to seek help and speak to their GP team”.

 

Health Minister James Morris said: 

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“Long COVID can have lasting and debilitating effects on both the physical and mental health of people of all ages.

“These new measures will ensure individuals with this awful condition can access the support that they need more quickly and closer to home.

“The plan shows the incredible progress the NHS has made to provide further support to patients alongside our world-leading vaccination programme which has delivered over 150 million jabs to protect people from the virus.”

 

In the last year, over 45,000 people experiencing severe or complex symptoms have been seen by a specialist post-COVID service.

Anyone who is concerned about ongoing symptoms following COVID-19 can find information and advice on the NHS Your COVID Recovery website.

This online platform provides expert advice on what people can do if they are recovering from the infection, as well as what to look out for if symptoms persist and signposting on where to access support for long lasting symptoms.

Since launching, the online service has been accessed by over 10 million people worldwide and is now available in 17 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Polish, Ukrainian and Urdu.

If they remain concerned, or are not recovering as expected, they should contact their GP team.

Regrettably, Ingleside Birth and Community Centre will not be available as a place to give birth for the coming months, due to the current shortages of midwives nationally.

The operators have taken the decision to base the majority of their midwifery staff at Royal Bolton Hospital at this time, in order to maintain high quality of care for all mums and babies.

For women who have an uncomplicated pregnancy who plan to give birth within a midwife led setting, they say they are pleased to be able to still provide the option for a variety of birthing experiences for you, including:

At home with one of our experienced midwives

At the Beehive Unit at Royal Bolton Hospital, which offers a midwife led experience similar to Ingleside,
including a birthing pool

In the midwife led/low risk room on the central delivery suite which offers a midwife led experience
similar to Ingleside, including a birthing pool

In busy times however they cannot always guarantee these three options will be available. If you wish to have a midwife led birth, they will always support you to do so in whichever unit is available.

For women who have complex pregnancies where birth is recommended in hospital, you will be offered care on their central delivery suite where midwives will provide your care supported by doctors if the need arises.

Ingleside is still open for those who choose to have antenatal appointments, scans and postnatal care there, meeting with the same team of midwives throughout pregnancy and beyond.

This isn’t a decision they have taken lightly. They're working with other providers of maternity services in Greater Manchester to be able to reopen Ingleside as a place of birth as soon as they are able to.

For more information about their of our birth options, please speak to your midwife at your next appointment or speak to our team on 01204 390023.