From 1 April 2026, the RSV vaccine will be available for free on the NHS for adults aged 75 and over, adults living in a care home for older adults, and pregnant women.   The RSV vaccine helps protect against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. RSV is a common virus, and almost all children get an RSV infection […]

A woman from Redruth, Cornwall, who lost the sight in both eyes after the birth of her first child, has had it restored thanks to a new service launched in the region – and the blood and plasma donors who made the treatment possible. Jessica Kent-Hazledine, a dentist, woke up two weeks after giving birth […]

Ambulances across the South West reached heart attack and stroke patients 38 minutes faster this winter — the best performance in years. Average response times for the serious, time-critical conditions (category two) improved from 72 minutes to 34 minutes between 2023 and 2026 – despite a 22% increase in demand. This is linked to clinicians […]

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Dame Gill Morgan DBE as NHS England South West Regional Chair, following an open and competitive appointment process. As set out in the Model Region Blueprint, as Regional Chair Gill will provide visible, independent non‑executive leadership across the region, working with Regional Directors to develop a coherent strategy […]

More people in the South West are turning to local stop smoking services to try and stub out the cigarettes. Today (Wednesday 11 March), is No Smoking Day, a national health campaign aiming to raise awareness of the dangers and encourage smokers to quit. As part of the campaign, which this year is focused on the theme […]

Four new state-of-the-art bone-scanners are coming to the NHS in the South West, to help protect vulnerable people from osteoporosis and other bone conditions. They are part of a £2.6m government investment in early diagnosis and fracture-prevention, under the 10 Year Health Plan. The four new machines – known as Dexa scanners – are among 21 being […]

People living with Parkinson’s across the South West are being encouraged to explore the power of dance through the Let’s Dance campaign, which is encouraging people to dance on Sunday 8 March and highlighting how movement to music can support physical health, mental wellbeing and social connection. Parkinson’s affects movement, balance and coordination and staying […]

To mark HPV Awareness Day on March 4, the NHS in the South West is encouraging parents and carers to ensure their children are protected against HPV. The HPV (Human papillomavirus) is a very common virus that anyone can get in their lifetime. It is usually cleared by the body, but in some cases, it […]

In the South West, 73.8% of eligible women are now up to date with their breast screening under the programme’s three-year standard, up 1.2 percentage points on last year. New figures today show that in 2024 to 2025, 531,670 women in the region aged 50 to 70 attended screening within six months of invitation. The […]

Tens of thousands more people are having waiting-list operations in the South West as the NHS steps up its productivity, with AI, robotics and better systems all playing their part. New data shows the number of elective procedures carried out by hospitals in 2025 topped 1m for the first time. That is nearly 16% above […]