I am Lianne Clarke, Health Development Manager working with Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP). As an active partnership, we work with the NHS to find ways to encourage people to lead healthier and happier lives by bringing physical activity and movement into health and care plans. SASP’s health work spans across social prescribing, reconditioning […]

Nursing students in the South West are urging people to follow them into the NHS by applying for a healthcare degree course. In 2024, 20,920 people in England accepted a place on a nursing degree. In 2025, there are places on courses across the South West for those who want to follow suit, including school-leavers […]

  I am Briony Bond, a High Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapist working with Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. My role is to assess and treat common mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), panic, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These are delivered in person or via video call […]

I am Lesley Harper, a registered Dietitian working for the Integrated Care Board (ICB) in Somerset. Recently I have been working closely with my public health colleagues to roll out a collaborative health promotion project called Focusing on MORE. Focusing on MORE recognises obesity can be a result of many different factors and there is […]

High levels of seasonal illness, including flu, and vomiting and diarrhoea bugs, mean ambulances, hospitals and other NHS services in the South West are under severe pressure. People across the region are being asked to help by continuing to choose the right service for their needs and by getting vaccinated against winter viruses. This is […]

Statement: Following the amber cold weather alert, issued today by the UKHSA, Dr Justin Varney-Bennett, Regional Director of Public Health for NHS England – South West, said: “As we head into a very cold spell it’s important for people with pre-existing medical conditions to take extra care, especially the elderly or those with heart or […]

The NHS in the South West is urging people to come forward for their flu vaccination without delay so they and their families are protected in time for Christmas. Hospitals in England are managing record flu levels for this time of year as fears of a potential ‘quad-demic’ continue to rise, with a 350 per […]

Thousands of eligible pregnant women and older people across the South West have taken up the offer of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccination so far this winter. Available figures show that NHS staff in the South West have delivered 124,867 RSV vaccinations in just over two months, as the NHS ramps up efforts to […]

If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, there is support available from organisations in Bristol and throughout Avon and Somerset. They will never tell you what you should do, but will help you think about your options. They will listen and believe you. You will be cared for in a […]

Hundreds of people in the South West have been diagnosed with cancer earlier thanks to life-saving lung health checks, which use mobile scanning trucks to visit communities. That means they can begin treatment when the chances of success are highest. The NHS Targeted Lung Health Check programme is the biggest drive in NHS history improve […]