We are pleased to announce that the following people have been appointed as Chairs of the three Integrated Care Board clusters in the South West, following approval by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care: Gloucestershire ICB and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB Jeff Farrar, previously Chair of Bristol, North Somerset […]

Flu vaccinations are now available for pregnant women and children aged 2 to 3 years, school-aged children and children with certain long-term health conditions. Flu is a highly infectious disease which can cause symptoms much worse than a heavy cold, however, the flu vaccine provides the best protection against flu, helping people to Stay Well […]

A record 74,062 tests and scans were provided for patients last month in the South West’s growing network of NHS community diagnostic centres (CDCs), which are now all open evenings and weekends. The 17 units are designed to increase capacity and to ease pressure on main hospital sites, so people can get treated more quickly.  […]

Nearly 26,000 people in the South West have pledged to stop smoking in the past year, according to the latest NHS figures. Data shows that from April 2024 to March 2025, 25,722 people living in the region decided to ditch the cigarettes, up from 15,000 the previous year. But despite this progress, 562,482 adults in the […]

The NHS in the South West has provided over 260,000 vaccinations for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) since the vaccine launch in September 2024. This includes more than 30,000 pregnant women, vaccinated to protect their baby in the crucial first months of life.    RSV is a common virus and almost all children get an RSV […]

The NHS in the South West is urging people yet to have the lifesaving human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to get protected against cervical and other cancers as part of a push to eliminate cervical cancer in the region. GP practices across the South West and across England will send invites via letters, emails, texts and […]

The NHS in the South West is facing another significant round of industrial action by resident doctors, who are expected to strike from 7am tomorrow (Friday) until 7am on Wednesday 30 July. Hospitals and local teams have been preparing as usual ahead of this latest round of strikes, with plans in place to minimise disruption […]

The NHS is urging people living in the region to celebrate how they move as part of the South West Every Move Matters campaign. In the South West, 22 percent of the population are inactive (do less than 30 minutes of movement a week) and we know that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of […]

As Learning Disability Week continues, we are sharing powerful reflections from those working every day to ensure people with a learning disability are seen, heard, and valued across the South West. Today, we hear from a Sarah Thornell, Lead Nurse for Learning Disability and Autism at Royal united Hospital Bath NHS Foundation Trust, whose career […]

The NHS in the South West is working to increase uptake in the HPV vaccine and cervical screening in line with the national cervical cancer elimination strategy for England. Each year around 2,700 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer in England, with proportionally more people being diagnosed in the South West when compared to the […]