Work to expand and refurbish a mental health inpatient unit for children and young people has been successfully completed. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) NHS Trust received £2 million from NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) to expand and refurbish its Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) inpatient unit, the Riverside, after carrying […]

The NHS in the South West has today urged anyone currently eligible for a Covid-19 vaccination, to book an appointment without delay. Calls to get vaccinated come alongside new figures showing more than 31.1 million people across England have received a first dose of the vaccine since the NHS made history by giving Maggie Keenan […]

The NHS in the South West has now administered over five million vaccinations, as the biggest and fastest vaccine drive in NHS history continues at pace. Figures published today (12 May) show over 1.7m local people have maximum protection from Covid-19 after receiving both doses of the vaccination. The vaccination programme will open tomorrow (Thursday) […]

More than a million children and young people will have access to mental health support at school, as the NHS rapidly expands services to help deal with the huge disruption caused by coronavirus and lockdown. From this year, teams of experts are offering support to children experiencing anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues. […]

Over one million people in the South West have now received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This milestone comes as the number of people in the region who have received their first dose tops three million. The second vaccine around 12 weeks later maximises protection against COVID-19 infection.   Regional Director of NHS […]

The NHS has boosted support for patients, their families and staff by recruiting 10,000 healthcare support workers in the first three months of the year. The South West NHS has successfully recruited 1008 healthcare support workers (HCSW) and a further 304 are waiting to start following the pre-employment checks. Over forty percent of people recruited […]

Thousands of new, expectant or bereaved mothers will receive help and support for mental health problems through dozens of new dedicated hubs which are being set up across the country. The 26 new hubs will bring together maternity services, reproductive health and psychological therapy under one roof as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. […]

Are you planning to stay local this Easter? Make sure you’ve collected your prescription in good time for the Bank Holiday. Take a few minutes to think about your health by ordering and collecting any repeat prescriptions early, ahead of bank holiday when some GP practices and pharmacies will be closed. Dr Peter Wilson, Medical […]

Women living in the South West who have experienced domestic abuse and sexual assault are being urged to contact the NHS for support, as the number of people seeking help halved during the first lockdown. Following recent high-profile events highlighting sexual abuse and the increase in women sharing their experiences of assault and harassment, both […]

Debbie, previously the Deputy Director of PHE South West, has been acting in this role since Debra Lapthorne’s retirement in December 2020 and has now been formally appointed. As the Deputy Director for PHE South West since 2015, Debbie has already overseen a range of public health issues and achievements in the South West, working […]