News
Fresh call for Spring COVID-19 vaccinations, as less than half of those eligible in the South West take up offer
Data published on 8 May shows that 47.9% of eligible people in the South West have now received their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the Spring vaccination programme. The Spring COVID-19 vaccination programme commenced on 1 April and the NHS in the South West has already delivered almost half a million vaccinations. However, over 52% […]
NHS worker shares his blood pressure readings on social media to encourage others to get checked this World Hypertension Day
An NHS worker hopes by sharing his own blood pressure readings it will add up to more people aged 40-plus checking to see if their blood pressure reading is high, and when it is taking the steps to reduce their risk of premature death. For Jim Gammans, a Community Engagement Officer, it’s about ‘talk the […]
Blog – Celebrating our nurses: The heartbeat of healthcare in the South West
This International Nurses’ Day, I want to extend my deepest thanks to our nurses – not only across the South West, but throughout the country – for their unwavering commitment to care, compassion, and clinical excellence. Every day, nurses across our region support patients and their families through some of the most important moments of […]
“Bowel cancer screening saved my life.” – As part of Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, South West patient, Kitty Odell, reflects on her experience
Kitty Odell from Bristol was fit and healthy when she received her third bowel cancer screening home test as part of the routine screening offer provided by the NHS to people in the South West who are aged 50 to 74. Without any concerning symptoms, Kitty left the test on the side for several weeks […]
NHS invites eligible people in the South West to book their COVID-19 vaccinations
The NHS national booking service has opened today (Tuesday 25 March) for eligible people to book their COVID-19 spring vaccinations. NHS teams have been working to make it as easy as possible for people to get jabbed close to home. This includes 482 community pharmacies across the South West, who will be providing the vaccination […]
New South West Medical Director appointed
We are pleased to announce that Dr Trevor Smith has been appointed as NHS England’s new Regional Medical Director for the South West. A prominent Gastroenterologist and international expert on clinical nutrition and intestinal failure, Dr Smith has held a number of leadership roles, including serving as President of the British Association for Parenteral and […]
Frontline NHS staff in the South West to have their say on the future of the NHS
Around 100 frontline NHS staff from across the South West will be joined by NHS England directors in Taunton today (4th March 2025) to discuss what they want to see from the government’s 10 Year Health Plan. It is the last in a series of events where frontline NHS staff across the breadth of the […]
South West patients and NHS staff urge women to come forward for their breast screening appointment
The NHS in England has launched its first ever awareness campaign to highlight the benefits of breast cancer screening. The campaign comes as annual data shows that 27% of eligible women in the South West are not up to date with their regular mammograms and over one in ten (12%) of those eligible have never […]
Professor Green backs supervised toothbrushing in schools
Rapper and health activist Professor Green is helping the NHS raise awareness among families about the importance of children looking after their teeth, by launching an exciting competition to all primary schools across the South West. He says he only realised later in life how not brushing properly twice a day affected his own physical […]
People in South West urged to seek help after sexual assault
The NHS in the South West is encouraging people to find out where their local sexual assault referral centre (SARC) is as part of Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week (3 February – 9 February 2025). There are 6 SARCs located across the region, which provide help 24/7. This includes crisis care, medical and […]