Posts Tagged ‘NHS’
Local NHS Trusts and Clinical Commissioning Groups have partnered with CU Scarborough to introduce two new mental health nursing courses
Local mental health Trust, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) has worked with CU Scarborough – part of the Coventry University Group, York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG to introduce a Registered Mental Health Nursing course and Nursing Associate course.
The first students on the Nursing Associate course will start in January 2020, while the Mental Health Nursing course began in September.
It is hoped that the new courses will bring a welcome boost to the number of people choosing to work in local NHS mental health services.
The three-year BSc degree programmes will allow students to practice nursing in a range of in-patient and community settings, leading them to achieve registered nursing status with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
There are 15 spaces available on the Nursing Associate course, and TEWV will be offering students on both courses a range of placements in its services, as well as offering apprenticeships on both programmes to a number of its existing staff.
The apprenticeships will allow Trust staff to obtain valuable skills, whilst remaining in employment throughout their studies, which in turn supports the Trust to retain valued staff.
Elizabeth Moody, Director of Nursing and Governance for TEWV, said: “The work was led by the Trust’s Professional Nursing and Education team, who already successfully work in partnership with a number of other Universities across the wider Trust area.
“We hope that the new partnership with CU Scarborough will bring a welcome boost to mental health nursing across the local area, with students choosing to continue their careers in the Trust once they have completed their studies.”
Emily Harrison, Course Lead for Nursing at CU Scarborough, said: “We were so pleased to welcome our first students onto our Mental Health Nursing course in September, and we’re also looking forward to the first students starting our Nursing Associate course in January.
“Mental health is such an important aspect of people’s wellbeing, and we need to make sure we have enough qualified nurses to take care of people who may be struggling. These courses will give students the skills they need to be able to do that.
“We are proud to be playing our part in training the next generation of mental health nurses to help patients in Scarborough and the wider area.”
Dr Peter Billingsley, Mental Health Lead for the three Clinical Commissioning Groups in North Yorkshire, said: “It is terrific that we now have general and mental health nurse training places available in Scarborough – it will go a long way towards addressing some of the recruitment challenges we face and is great news for the local economy.
“It’s important we support efforts to develop a local workforce with roots already in our community who will want to serve this area when they have completed their training.
“We are confident that many of the students who undertake this training will want to continue living and working in Scarborough and Ryedale, which is great news and will mean employers are not having to look further afield to fill vacancies.”
A programme for Learning Disability Nursing has also been approved and it is hoped that this will commence in the next academic year.
Read MoreGP advice on how to stay well this winter
With winter just around the corner, NHS Scarborough and Ryedale Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are advising local residents on the best ways to stay well during the cold weather.
There are a number of effects the winter can have, and they are not just physical, the colder weather and shorter days can also affect your mental health.
NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG, Governing Body member and Local GP, Dr Peter Billingsly has a lot of useful tips to help you stay well this winter.
Be aware of norovirus
‘Norovirus outbreaks are more common this time of year, there is no specific treatment for norovirus, but you can take steps to ease your symptoms. If you’ve got sickness and diarrhoea, stay hydrated.
‘Don’t see your GP unless symptoms persist more than a few days, the best ways to avoid catching norovirus is wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet. Last but not least, norovirus can leave you contagious 48 hours after the symptoms go, so please avoid hospitals and care homes.’
Get your flu vaccination
‘The best way to stay protected against the flu is to get the vaccination, the jab is free for pregnant women, over 65s and those with underlying health conditions. If you have a child ages 2 – 3 they are entitled to a free flu nasal spray to keep them protected.
‘If you are experiencing flu like symptoms, please seek advice from your pharmacist before it gets more serious. If you want to book a vaccination please contact your GP practice.’
Use the right service
‘If it is not an emergency, you can get medical advice 24/7 by using the NHS 111 service, they have trained medical professionals available who can direct you to the most appropriate medical care.
‘If you want to speak to someone face to face you don’t always have to wait for an appointment with your doctor. Your local pharmacy can provide clinical advice for minor health conditions common over the winter period such as coughs, colds, sore throats, tummy trouble and aches and pains.’
Keep a stock of useful medicines
‘It is important to keep a stock of over the counter medicines in your home over the Christmas period as your local surgery or pharmacy may not be open.
‘These remedies could include basic painkillers like aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol, cough syrup and antacids that are all available at your local supermarket.’
Look out for yourself and others
‘The colder weather and shorter days can affect your mental health, get out in the sunshine if you can, even short bursts can improve your mental wellbeing.
‘Older neighbours and relatives are more vulnerable in the winter months and may need a bit of extra help to stay well, make sure you keep in touch and check in on them when you can.’
There is further advice on self-care san be found here, you can also find details of GP and pharmacy opening times over the winter season.
Read MoreHealthy Hearts website launched to help people in Scarborough and Ryedale
A new website has been launched to help improve heart health among people living in Scarborough and Ryedale.
The Healthy Hearts website is designed to help reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack among people considered to be most at risk, and reduce the number of people dying prematurely from cardiovascular disease – a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels.
The website has been created to help people living in Humber, Coast and Vale – a region which covers Hull and East Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire, Vale of York, Scarborough and Ryedale.
More than 220,000 people in the Humber, Coast and Vale area are affected by high blood pressure, while around three in 10 people (more than 72,000) have undiagnosed high blood pressure. More than 32,000 people living in the area have an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) and almost 30,000 people have experienced a stroke or mini-stroke.
The Humber, Coast and Vale Healthy Hearts website contains a wealth of information about how people can reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including advice about healthy eating and exercise. It also features interactive tools, with users able to use the website to determine their high blood pressure risk.
The website forms part of collaborative efforts by healthcare organisations in the Humber, Coast and Vale area to reduce the number of people suffering from cardiovascular disease. They are committed to improving the health of people who have cardiovascular disease, or are at risk of developing it, as it remains one of the most significant health challenges in the area.
More than a quarter (26%) of all deaths in England in 2017 were caused by cardiovascular diseases, with coronary heart disease and stroke accounting for the majority of those deaths. Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK, but it can often largely be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle.
Dr Greg Black, NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG Governing Body Member and Lead for Cardiovascular Disease, said: “Heart disease and stroke are two of the biggest ‘killers’ in Scarborough and Ryedale. Often linked to smoking and obesity, it’s imperative these issues are tackled.
“The new Healthy Hearts website will be important resource for GPs and other healthcare professionals, while giving people the tools and confidence to make those all-important lifestyle changes.”
Alex Seale, Senior Responsible Officer for Planned Care at the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, said: “The Humber, Coast and Vale Healthy Hearts website will become a key asset to healthcare professionals and patients to help reduce instances of cardiovascular disease in our communities.
“Heart disease remains a significant challenge for health organisations within the Humber, Coast and Vale area but one we are determined to overcome by working with healthcare professionals and members of the public alike to enhance cardiovascular disease education and improve cardiovascular disease detection.
“Heart health should be everybody’s concern so visit www.humbercoastandvalehealthyhearts.co.uk for information on how you can improve your heart health and take steps to protect against cardiovascular disease.”
For more information, visit www.humbercoastandvalehealthyhearts.co.uk
Read MorePartnership nominated for leadership award
The Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership has been shortlisted for a national award in recognition of the strength of its joint working to improve mental health outcomes for its population.
The Humber, Coast and Vale Mental Health Partnership has been shortlisted for the Health Services Journal (HSJ) Award for “System Leadership Initiative of the Year”. The HSJ judging panel, made up of a diverse range of influential figures within the healthcare community, has shortlisted the Partnership despite the tough competition from hundreds of excellent applicants.
The Award recognises the progress made since the Partnership was established to improve mental health services by working together. The Mental Health Partnership has achieved many successes by bringing together all the organisations that are responsible for commissioning (“buying”) and providing mental health services across our region to put in place care that is seamless and built around the needs of individuals regardless of which organisation is responsible for each element of that person’s care.
The Partnership’s many successes include the development of specialist mental health services for new and expectant mothers across the region and the launch of the Every Mum Matters campaign; ensuring more people are treated closer to home by significantly reducing the number of patients in “out of area” placements; developing and securing funding for a Partnership-wide suicide prevention strategy and securing over £1 million additional funding to support people with enduring mental health problems into employment.
Michele Moran, Chair of the Humber, Coast and Vale Mental Health Partnership Board and Chief Executive, Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are overjoyed to have been shortlisted for another HSJ award. Being nominated for this award highlights the fantastic work that our staff members carry out to transform and improve mental health services, in an area stretching across Northern Lincolnshire, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, York and Scarborough. As a partnership we have achieved a number of notable successes through collaborative working between partners and this is something that we are all proud of. To be nominated is an amazing achievement in itself and, as always, we would like to thank all of our patients, stakeholders, our staff, and those working in close partnership across Humber, Coast and Vale. This is about working together to make a difference for our communities.”
Stephen Eames, Independent Chair for the Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership, said: “This is fantastic news and a testament to the hard work and commitment of local leaders. This
is well-earned recognition for the cutting-edge work the Mental Health Partnership is doing, which is improving peoples’ lives across Humber, Coast and Vale.”
The full list of nominees for the 2019 HSJ awards can be found here. Winners will be announced at the 2019 HSJ awards ceremony, which is due to be held in London on 6 November 2019.
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