Press Releases 2010
When we release news about NHS in Bristol we post
it here. We keep this page up to date, so whenever you want to know
what is going on in Bristol, this is the first place to come.
2010
December
NHS Bristol
guide to a healthy Christmas [PDF]
NHS Bristol would like to remind people of how to enjoy the
Christmas and New Year holidays safely – and where to go for
treatment if they do get ill or suffer a mishap.
NHS Bristol has winter all wrapped up this year- Oh yes it has!
[PDF]
NHS Bristol is getting some support
from some of the stars of Bristol’s hit pantomime ’Dick
Whittington’ to promote our new winter campaign urging patients to
‘Choosewell’ and stay protected this winter. Barbara Windsor and
Eric Potts will be photographed on Tuesday 21 December with NHS
Bristol’s iconic Brunel cut-out to support patients to get the
seasonal flu jab as flu is now about in parts of Bristol.
Early Christmas present for dental patients in St George,
Bristol [PDF]
A new dental practice, in a former
church building in St George, has opened in time as an early
Christmas present to local people looking for NHS dental
care. The opening of the St George dental practice is one of
five new surgeries opened in Bristol this year. Offering more than
25,000 NHS dental places between them, the surgeries are improving
access to NHS dentistry for everyone in the city.
NHS Bristol
and Tesco offer free Christmas health checks and half price flu
jabs [PDF]
NHS Bristol and Tesco have teamed up to offer free health checks
to
Christmas shoppers in Eastville today (Tuesday 14 December).
NHS Bristol Health Trainers will be offering free blood pressure
and
cholesterol checks to Bristol shoppers aged 40 to 74 at the Tesco’s
pharmacy
from 10am-4pm.
Cut out
the seasonal bugs this winter…
Wednesday, 8
December marks the 146th anniversary of the official opening of
Brunel’s majestic Suspension Bridge. Whilst many consider the
bridge to be the pinnacle of Brunel’s career, 8 December 8 is
another day to celebrate for Brunel fans.
NHS Bristol’s iPhone application is getting sexy – with an
upgrade featuring the details of all of 4YP Bristol’s sexual health
services available for the under 25s. Since releasing the app
in May this year, it has been downloaded nearly 4,000 times.
The application features details of each and every health service
in Bristol - including contact information, GPS location and more -
all at the touch of a button.
NHS Bristol is today unveiling its new winter campaign urging
patients to ‘Choosewell’ and stay protected this winter. NHS
Bristol chief executive Deborah Evans, jazz legend Acker Bilk and
Bristol’s most celebrated engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel will
launch the campaign with a photo-shoot at the suspension
bridge.
Groundbreaking NHS Bristol study reveals slipping on ice to be
the main cause of noncollision incidents. Over the summer NHS
Bristol conducted the UK’s largest and most comprehensive survey
into non-collision cycling incidents which have revealed some
fascinating statistics.
In Bristol over 27,000 residents live with asthma – and most
cope with it – but for over 600 sufferers last year their asthma
resulted in a hospital visit. For the ten patients a week that
ended up in hospital, in most cases, these admissions could have
been avoided by better self-care.
The latest report on Smokefree Bristol shows huge progress three
years on from the national smokefree legislation. This includes a
record number of smokers quitting last year, more people in the
city say they do not smoke, there has been more work to protect
unborn babies and small children from tobacco smoke, and a
successful programme has worked with all twelve year olds to open
their eyes to the dangers of tobacco.
The Care Forum has launched a Bristol Mental Health Employment
Portal which takes you straight to mental health and
employment-related content and can be found at: http://www.wellaware.org.uk/employment_portal/
A new breastfeeding peer support service will ensure that
more Bristol mums have extra support with breastfeeding. NHS
Bristol has commissioned Barnardo’s to run the ‘breastfeeding peer
support service’ which will support the work of local health
services and children’s services in helping more mothers not only
choose to breastfeed but to breastfeed for as long as they
want.
In recent years, Bristol has seen a sharp rise in the numbers of
overweight children,
with 14% of reception age children (four – five years old)
considered obese when they start school. By creating a positive
relationship with food in their early years, children are much more
likely to develop – and maintain – healthy eating patterns. To
improve the nutritional intake of young children have NHS Bristol
have produced ‘Maternal and Child Nutrition Guidelines’.
Dying
every day - the shocking toll of smoking
[PDF]
Nearly one person in Bristol dies from lung cancer every day.
Every other day someone new is diagnosed. November is lung
cancer awareness month and NHS Bristol are taking the opportunity
to raise awareness of the long term effects of smoking – the cause
of the disease in more than 90% of cases – and give smokers the
opportunity and support to give up.
October
Sex talk in the House of Commons
[PDF]
This Friday, Bristol teenagers will be amongst 300 young people
from across the country attending a debate in the House of Commons
chamber. Members of the 300 strong Youth Parliament, aged
11-18, will debate issues including the cost of university, sex
education in schools and war.
NHS Bristol
offer Health Checks to shoppers
[PDF]
People from Bristol aged 40-74 are
being offered free NHS Health Checks at The Mall (Galleries)
shopping centre this Saturday (30 October). Available from
10am-4pm, NHS Bristol will be offering Health Checks – which
include blood pressure and cholesterol testing - will be available
to people who are 40-74, live in Bristol and are not already being
treated for blood pressure, cholesterol or diabetes.
Up to October 22 is alcohol awareness week and with certain
alcohols currently costing less than a bar of chocolate, local
health bosses are reminding young people of the dangers of alcohol
and urging them to manage their intake.
NHS Bristol has teamed up with NHS Choices (www.nhs.uk), to launch a new interactive
sexual health film on YouTube. The film enables viewers to direct
the film’s storyline and signposts them to local services,
including 4YP Bristol sexual health services.
Sunday 10 October marks World Mental Health Day, where
organisations across the world will join together to promote
positive mental health and wellbeing. Blanka Robertson, mental
health and well being lead at NHS Bristol explains: “Mental health
problems can affect anyone from any culture, age range or social
background. They create substantial personal burden for those
affected and their families, and they produce significant economic
and social impact on the society as a whole”.
September
Photo call: 29/09/2010, 9.30am, Hartcliffe Children’s Centre,
Hareclive Road, Hartcliffe, Bristol, BS13 0JW.
The Bristol Stop Smoking Service will be promoting the Smokefree
Homes campaign and offering information and advice to
families.
September is ‘pregnancy health month’ in the UK, and health bosses
at NHS Bristol are urging pregnant women and young mothers to take
the opportunity to go smoke free. In some areas of the city one in
ten women smoke during pregnancy and, with more taking up the habit
when their baby is born, health bosses are worried that these
parents are putting their children at risk.
To celebrate the start of autumn, NHS Bristol will be running a
mobile fruit and veg bus in Bristol on Tuesday 21 and Thursday 23
September. The bus will offer fresh fruit and veg boxes free
to the public. The boxes will be available in a variety of sizes,
for one or two people or a box for the whole family. While members
of the public are invited to make their own 5 a day smoothie by
choosing their own ingredients; no matter how outrageous the
combination.
NHS Bristol is calling on over 50’s to use a condom as part of
this week’s national sexual health week (September 13-19).
National data shows there is a growing number of over 50’s failing
to use contraception and putting themselves at risk of infection.
Almost 13,000 men and women over the age of 45 were diagnosed with
an STI in 2009, double the numbers in 2000.
In a groundbreaking editorial published in today’s British
Medical Journal, Bristol doctor Angela Raffle calls on health
bosses to start planning for a future with less energy.
August
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) for NHS Bristol takes place on
Thursday 9 September 2010, at the Greenway Centre in Southmead. The
public and NHS staff are invited to hear about the Primary Care
Trust’s achievements in the financial year 2009-2010.
Richard Weatherhead has been re-appointed as chair of NHS
Bristol by the Appointments Commission.
During this year’s summer holidays, NHS Bristol is helping to
deliver dance sessions to children of all ages during their summer
play schemes. As part of ‘Let’s Dance’ events taking place in and
around Bristol, these dance sessions encourage young children to
use dance as a means of staying fit and expressing themselves. The
aim of the dance activities is to promote amongst children dance as
a creative, enjoyable and accessible physical activity.
Pride is a celebration of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender (LGBT) community. This year Pride is coming to Bristol
and NHS Bristol is proud to be part of the celebrations.
Today sees the official opening of a new NHS dental practice in
Bristol city centre. Located on Old Market Street, the surgery will
provide NHS treatment for 6,000 patients per year. With the new
surgery just a few minutes away from Bristol’s flagship Cabot
Circus, patients can shop till they drop then get their teeth
checked in a state-of-the-art new surgery.
Friday 13 August 2010 marks the centenary of the death of
Florence Nightingale. Known affectionately as the ‘lady of the
lamp’ for her work with wounded soldiers in the Crimean War,
Florence’s work has become the model for NHS nursing, with patient
care and dignity at the forefront of what we do. Deborah
Evans, NHS Bristol chief executive, said: “We are all indebted to
the women and men who were pioneers in healthcare. Florence
raised the profile of nursing and her selfless example whilst
treating others is a model that we still follow today".
When you look out of the window in August and its grey and
overcast – it must be time to jet off and get some sun. NHS Bristol
is warning those about to go on their summer holidays to make sure
you stay safe in the sun.
NHS Bristol, in partnership with Safer Bristol and Victim
Support, has launched a campaign for the summer, focusing on abuse
within teenage relationships.
Singer Darius and his model girlfriend Natasha Henstridge were
among around 500 people who took up the offer to have their lungs
checked at the Bristol Harbour Festival.
July
NHS Bristol is once again working in partnership with Bristol
City Council to bring you this year’s Harbour Festival. As well as
offering free dance classes, visitors will get the chance to speak
to an NHS dentist and to book a dental appointment and get a free
lung check.
Phillipa Hann has spoken out about her hugely positive
experience of having her baby at home as part of a local push to
encourage homebirths.
NHS Bristol handed out over 130 pairs of slippers to over 65’s
in Bristol as part of National Falls Awareness Week.
NHS Bristol’s unique and groundbreaking application has now been
downloaded over 1,500 times throughout the Bristol area and is
receiving rave reviews all over the world.
Research in Bristol has shown that children’s packed lunchboxes
are getting healthier thanks to schemes to promote good eating
choices.
Schools across Bristol are being awarded for their innovative
work in helping children develop healthy lifestyles and setting
them on their way to healthier adult lives.
Today marks the third anniversary of the introduction of the
smokefree legislation in public places in England. NHS Bristol is
continuing to help support more and more smokers to quit and stay
that way – with over 7,500 smokers supported to kick the habit in
the last three years.
June
NHS Bristol has unveiled its new, innovative iPhone application
– the country’s first free NHS service provider and Bristol’s
essential health directory. The application features details of
each and every health service in Bristol, their contact
information, their GPS location and more - all at the touch of a
button. So you can use it to find a GP, an NHS dentist or the
nearest walk-in centre.
May
Avonmouth Community Centre will be hosting a free youth health
day on
Saturday 12 June 2010 from 10 am to 3 pm.
NHS Bristol is looking for members of the public to attend a
focus group to help improve their website. The aim is to improve
access to health information and services for patients, the public
and professionals. Focus groups will be held on Wednesday 9 June
2010 at Armada House, Telephone Avenue, Bristol.
Health services in Bristol have urged people in Bristol to take
care this Bank Holiday and to avoid going to hospital emergency
departments unnecessarily.
April
NHS Bristol and Bristol Community Health are today launching an
initiative to reduce their carbon footprint by 10% within 12
months. The Primary Care Trust has pledged a commitment to cut
emissions from energy use and staff travel.
Bristol Primary Care Trust is encouraging people to be prepared
and look up their local pharmacy and walk-in centre opening times
over the Easter period. GP surgeries will be closed from Good
Friday 2 April and re-open on Tuesday 6 April.
March
Bristol has become the UK’s first Baby Friendly city.NHS Bristol
is the first PCT to gain the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative
community accreditation. This is a city-wide staged approach to
achieving best practice in supporting breastfeeding mothers.
Today, 22 March, marks the first anniversary of the untimely
death of Jade Goody from cervical cancer at the age of 27. Locally
the NHS is using this landmark to remind women not to delay their
cervical screening tests.
For patients, dying in a place of their choosing can help ease
the strain on themselves and their loved ones. Research has
demonstrated that the majority of people would prefer to die at
home. In Bristol, while significant progress has been made to
support this in recent years, approximately 54% of people on the
end-of-life pathway end their lives in hospital.
One of the South West’s first Change4Life convenience stores is
opening in Bristol this week. To mark the occasion local primary
school children will give the first public performance of their
5-a-day rap and provide healthy and tasty wraps (recipes also
created by the children themselves) for guests and shoppers.
March 10 is National No Smoking Day and, for those who want to
break free, the NHS Bristol Stop Smoking Service is holding events
across Bristol to help smokers.
Today marks the last meeting of the St George stop smoking
group, and with over 80% of those attending having quit, their
success has been phenomenal.
A community based heart failure service which runs clinics in
the community in North areas of Bristol and in South
Gloucestershire has had a good rating from patients in a recent
survey.
Having a homebirth is often the preferred option for mothers,
but particularly for young mothers having a baby at home naturally
raises some questions and concerns. To help support mothers,
the Maternity Services Liaison Committee is running a workshop on
15 March at the YMCA, Marson Road, Clevedon, from 11am to
2pm.
A ground cutting ceremony will mark the official start of work
on the new state of the art, £54 million community hospital to be
built at Hengrove Park in Bristol.
A group of dentists will open the first NHS dental practice in
Avonmouth. The practice, run by ADP Dental Co, is aiming to
register 6,000 new NHS patients in the area – over half of the
town’s population.
February
A new community service is about to be launched in Bristol, one
of the first in the south west, to help people who are overweight
or obese.
More than a quarter of a million people visited a dentist in
Bristol in the last two years. According to official figures, the
number of people who have seen an NHS dentist in Bristol since
April 2006 has continued to increase above the national
average.
Stroke services in Bristol have been singled out for praise in a
recently published National Audit Report (NAO). The stroke team at
North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) was mentioned in the NAO report
called ‘Progress in reforming stroke care’. The centre was singled
out for praise in the report as one of only two ‘neuro-intensivist’
care units currently operating in the South West.
The National Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) was launched in England
on 23 July 2009 at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. As
pressures on the NHS from swine flu and flu-like illnesses have now
eased the decision was taken to stand down the NPFS. The National
Pandemic Flu Service (NPFS) closed on 11 February 2010. The service
can be restored in seven days should it be needed.
New hospital for South Bristol – Its signed, sealed,
delivered!
This was the message from NHS Bristol to local people in South
Bristol as confirmation came that contracts had been exchanged late
on Friday to mark the very final stage in securing the new state of
the art £45 million community hospital to be built at Hengrove Park
in Bristol.
Local MP Doug Naysmith and NHS Bristol chair Richard Weatherhead
will today meet a group of NHS Bristol apprentices. And, with NHS
Bristol due to advertise for six new apprentices in the coming
months, it’s encouraging news for young job seekers.
The NHS is offering two young people the chance to win £500 at a
photo competition in Bristol this Valentines weekend. The
competition, which is more about attitude than looks, is open to
16-24 year olds living in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset,
North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. As well as £500, the two
winners will get a fashion photo-shoot with hair styling and there
will be great giveaways for everyone else. To enter just turn up to
the free selection photo shoot at Hamilton House (Canteen), 80
Stokes Croft, Bristol, on Saturday February 13, from 10am-1pm. The
competition is part of a wider NHS campaign to raise awareness of
about sexual health issues such as Chlamydia.
January
Talking about bowels and their related problems is something
people are often not comfortable with. The national charity
Breaking Bowel Cancer is currently running an awareness raising
week (25-31 January) called Be Loud Be Clear. NHS Bristol supports
this campaign and is encouraging the people of Bristol to shake off
this stigma, be aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer and for those
eligible, to get screened for the disease.
NHS Bristol supports Cervical Cancer Prevention
Week [PDF]
As part of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (24-30 January) NHS
Bristol is urging all women aged 25-64 who receive a letter
inviting them to be screened, to make this a priority. Cervical
cancer is the second most common cancer in women under 35 in the
UK. The chances of making a full recovery are greatly increased if
it is detected early, often as part of cervical screening.
A diseased liver is not a pretty picture. You wouldn’t damage
the outside of your body in this way, so why do it to the
inside? NHS Bristol is encouraging everyone in Bristol to
keep their insides looking healthy and ‘love your liver’ to prevent
damage to this vital organ.
NHS Bristol is pleased to announce the appointment of Narinder
Kaur as new non-executive director of the board for a four year
term from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2013. Narinder will become
one of seven non-executive directors on the board.
Today a report by the Health Select Committee has supported NHS
Bristol chief executive Deborah Evans’ calls for a minimum price
for a unit of alcohol. The report calls for tighter regulations on
alcohol advertising, a rise in duty on spirits and cider and
mandatory health warning on labels. It is hoped these measures
would go some way in tackling the estimated 40,000 people who die
of alcohol related diseases each year and cost the economy an
estimated £55bn.
Bristol Community Health is getting excited about 2010 which
will see the start of building for the new South Bristol Community
Hospital. The new hospital will provide people in South Bristol
local access to a range of services including a state-of-the-art
Urgent Care Centre. Run and managed by Bristol Community Health the
centre will include on site X-ray and other diagnostic services as
well as a GP out of hours service and GP surgery.