February 1 2019
Welcome to the latest edition of the NHS West Suffolk CCG newsletter
Dr Christopher Browning, Chairman
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Tell us what you think
We'd appreciate it if you would give us your views on the CCG's newsletter.
It is usually issued every fortnight - should it be more or less frequent? Would you like to see different content?
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Official opening for new neurological rehabilitation beds
Yesterday, the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare, The Countess of Euston (pictured above left) officially opened three brand-new purpose-built bedrooms at Sue Ryder The Chantry.
This new development, commissioned by NHS West Suffolk CCG and our partners at NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk CCG, will enable the centre to support people requiring specialist neurological rehabilitation, particularly those who have suffered an acquired brain injury.
Dr Imran Qureshi (pictured right), a Suffolk GP, said:
“Both CCGs have been working closely with Sue Ryder to boost the provision of neurological rehabilitation care in Suffolk. The opening of these three new purpose built bedrooms is a significant step forward in ensuring people requiring level 2 neurological rehabilitation care can be treated as close to home as possible."
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New guide for young people with special educational needs and disabilities
PARENTS and carers of young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are being encouraged to make use of a new guide aimed at helping them prepare for adulthood.
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Lisa Nobes, the CCG's chief nurse (pictured right), says:
"The guide focuses on supporting young people and their parents or carers through the challenging transition into adulthood.
“It is packed with helpful discussion plans, top tips, case study examples, useful information and links to all the relevant contacts, websites and helplines.”
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Green light from Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet to develop more specialist education placements in Suffolk to meet growing demand
On Tuesday this week the council's Cabinet agreed recommendations to move forward with creating more specialist education places in Suffolk for our most vulnerable children. The recommendations include three new special schools and 36 specialist units attached to existing mainstream schools, which combine will create over 800 hundred new specialist education places in the county.
Commenting on this, Lisa Nobes, said:
“It is so important that we give our young people the very best start in life, which is why I am so pleased with this decision.
“We know that a good education is integral to having the best chance of living a happy and healthy life. The creation of many more local suitable educational placements is a big step forward in ensuring everyone has that opportunity."
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Recruiting more staff for the Suffolk Perinatal Service
This CCG-commissioned service has helped support the mental health of more than 420 new mothers since it was launched in 2017.
As well as caring for people with conditions such as severe post-natal depression, the service also offer pre-conception counselling to women who already have a mental health condition.
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Dr Rosalind Tandy, a Suffolk GP and mental health lead for NHS West Suffolk CCG, said: “It is really marvellous that this service is supporting so many new mothers. We know from feedback that the team is making a positive difference to people’s lives.
“All the staff should be proud of the work they are doing and I would encourage others to consider the various new job vacancies on offer and the opportunities available to join the team and enjoy a fulfilling career.”
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New £4 million mother and baby unit
A unit which will offer new mothers with serious mental health problems specialist help opened earlier this week.
The mother and baby unit will offer a range of therapeutic services, including medication, cognitive behavioural therapy and family therapy, along with help with bonding and attachment. Trained peer support workers – people who have personal experience of perinatal mental ill health – will also offer support and practical help to patients.
The unit will accept referrals from existing specialist perinatal teams, health visitors, midwives and GPs from across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
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Go-ahead for emotional wellbeing strategy
At last week's meeting in public of the WSCCG Governing Body members gave approval to the final version of East and West Suffolk Emotional Health and Wellbeing strategy. Members agreed that the CCG should work directly with health and other system partners to implement the strategy in order to make mental health and emotional wellbeing truly ‘everybody’s business’.
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New chair for mental health trust
Marie Gabriel CBE (pictured right) has been appointed as Chair of Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).
Marie, who replaces acting NSFT Chair Tim Newcomb, will continue in her role as Chair of East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), which is rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission. 
The appointment is part of a broadened package of support, drawing on the experience and expertise from ELFT, to make sustainable quality improvements for patients, service users and their families.
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Bury Leisure Centre awarded first county-wide Exercise Referral quality standard
Bury Leisure Centre has become the first Exercise Referral Scheme in Suffolk to be awarded a new county-wide quality standard.
The new quality standard has been developed by Suffolk County Council Public Health, and county wide partners, for Exercise Referral Schemes (ERS) operating within the county. Suffolk is the first authority in the country to develop a county-wide quality standard of this kind.
Exercise referral schemes enable GPs and health professionals to refer patients with long term health conditions to a fitness programme based within the community, to increase their physical activity levels as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Suffolk GP Dr Chris Rufford, Physical Activity Champion, Public Health England, said: “It is very reassuring for health care professionals to know that the exercise referral schemes that they are sending their underactive patients with chronic disease to are of an accredited standard and are able to supervise a structured exercise programme in a safe environment according to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.”
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Got the flu?
The best course of action is to rest, drink plenty of water and try to avoid spreading the virus as it can be dangerous for some people. Most people feel better in about a week.
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It's not too late to have a winter flu vaccination - those aged 65 +, some young children, those with a long-term health condition, main carers and pregnant women are entitled to a free NHS flu vaccination - ask at your GP practice or pharmacy.
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If you have accessed any NHS or social care service in Suffolk, it is always worth sharing your experiences (good or bad) with Healthwatch Suffolk.
It can use the things you say to shape and improve services.
Feeding back is easy and you can be anonymous: www.healthwatchsuffolk.co.uk/services
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Message from our partners at West Suffolk councils
From today, people in Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury who are on the housing list, can re-register to carry on bidding on properties after 1 April.
Councils across the Cambridge Sub-Region including Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury are changing IT provider for the database it uses for its choice based letting scheme, Home-Link.
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New NHS 111 campaign launched by NHS England
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Watch the new NHS 111 ad - the campaign encourages people to dial 111 or visit http://111.nhs.uk , instead of worrying, self-diagnosing or second-guessing what you should do when you have an urgent health problem.
Click on the image above to watch.
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Job vacancy
We've got a job vacancy for a Connect Link Worker.
In the role you will support the development of the Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, which bring together locality based physical and mental health and care practitioners into singularly led teams working with primary care to support people, enabling self-management, supporting individuals to maintain their independence.
Salary circa £20K. Fixed term for 12 months.
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Date for your diary
The next meeting in public of the WSCCG Governing Body will take place on Wednesday March 27 at West Suffolk House in Bury St Edmunds. The meeting begins at 9.15 a.m. and you have the opportunity to speak with Governing Body members from 9.00 a.m.
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