People with persistent heartburn or acid reflux will be offered an innovative ‘sponge on a string’ test in high-street pharmacies for the first time, as part of a new NHS pilot to help prevent oesophageal cancer. NHS England has today announced that dozens of pharmacies in England will offer new ‘heartburn health checks’ to test for Barrett’s oesophagus, […]

The NHS in the East of England is making it easier than ever for pregnant women to protect their babies from whooping cough, with more than 30 of the region’s pharmacies set to become the first in England to offer vaccinations against the infection. Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is an infection of the […]

NHS services in the East of England are promoting tailored programmes to stop potential type 2 diabetes in its tracks this week, as part of national Diabetes Week. Type 2 diabetes is a leading cause of preventable sight loss in people of working age and is a major contributor to kidney failure, limb amputation, heart […]

More than 600,000 consultations have taken place in the East of England since the launch of the Pharmacy First service last year, enabling people to receive fast treatment from high street pharmacies for common conditions, minor illnesses and urgent repeat medicine supply without needing to see a GP. Since January 2024, almost 300,000 patients in […]

The East of England’s lead pharmacy advisor for vaccinations, Sarah Cavanagh, has urged those eligible for a spring COVID-19 vaccine to come forward and take up their jabs while they are still available, as figures just published show just over four in ten eligible people in the region (40.3%) have received their jabs so far. […]

The NHS in the East of England has delivered more than 450,000 additional appointments since April 2024 and hit the ambitious faster diagnosis standard for cancer, latest figures show. Monthly performance data shows that that there were more than 450,000 additional appointments delivered in the year from April 2024 (457,408 elective operations, outpatient appointments and […]

The NHS national booking system opens today (Tuesday 25 March), allowing close to a million eligible people across the East of England to book their spring Covid-19 vaccination – with appointments available from Tuesday 1 April. Those eligible for this year’s spring Covid-19 vaccine include adults aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes […]

Healthcare professionals from across the East of England will gather in Peterborough tomorrow (Thursday 27 February) to help shape the future of the NHS, as part of the Government’s ambitious 10-year health plan consultation. This important event brings together over 100 healthcare professionals to discuss three transformational shifts in healthcare delivery: moving care from hospital […]

Breast cancer cases in the East of England could be detected earlier as a major new NHS drive begins, supporting thousands more women in the region to attend potentially life-saving breast screening. The NHS launched its first-ever breast screening awareness campaign this week to highlight the benefits of screening and encourage more women to make the most […]

The NHS’s lead for workforce and training in the East of England is this week encouraging people to consider an NHS apprenticeship as part of National Apprenticeship Week. More than 20,000 people started an NHS apprenticeship across the country last year, with nearly 2,300 of those within the East of England – providing more opportunities […]