NHS Corby and NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) were runners up at the NICE 2013 Shared Learning Awards for their work on redesigning services for people with diabetes in order to provide a best practice care model for those with the condition.

The award ceremony took place on the 15 May at the NICE national conference where Sue Smith, Head of Prescribing and Medicines Management, presented the details of the project to the delegates. This year, three finalists were picked from almost 70 entries coming from organisations across the NHS, local authorities, and the voluntary and private sectors, NHS Corby and NHS Nene CCGs being one of the finalists and overall the runner up.

Sue Smith, Head of Prescribing and Medicines Management, said: 'We are delighted to have been the runners up at the Nice 2023 Shared Learning Awards. It is a testament to the hard work and the success of our service redesign for diabetes.

'As part of the work we reviewed the type of insulin being used in the county and the changes we made helped us make sufficient savings to fund a new community based multi-disciplinary team (MDT). The MDT provides care closer to home, has improved patient access to structured education, specialist nursing, podiatry and dietetics and has reduced the number of acute hospital admissions related to diabetes.'

Now in their seventh year, the NICE Shared Learning Awards recognise and reward services and organisations with innovative and effective ways of putting NICE guidance into practice.

New online health guides have been developed to help patients across Northamptonshire understand their own health and that of their families.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group has worked in partnership with Sense Interactive to develop three guides: 

• A guide for parents and Carers - Common Childhood Illnesses
• A Young Persons Guide to Health and Happiness
• A Guide to Keeping Healthy and Happy in Later Life

The content of the guides cover different areas such as rashes and teething trouble in the ‘Childhood Guide’, healthy heart and keeping mobile in the ‘Keeping Healthy and Happy in Later Life Guide’ and positive body image and healthy lifestyles in the ‘Young Persons Guide’.

All of the guides have sound to ensure anyone with sight impairment or learning difficulties can listen to the information if they do not want or are unable to read them. The Childhood Illnesses guide can also be viewed in Russian, Polish, Portuguese and Lithuanian.  All of the guides can be viewed as a PDF document so they are easy to print.

The guides provide members of the public information on services that are available to them and advice on how they can care for some illnesses themselves at home. So far the guides have been shared with local GP Practices, Schools, Sure Start Centres, Colleges, Local Councils and Age UK.

The online guides are available via: www.neneccg.nhs.uk/health-guides/

Oasis House, the multi-agency support and accommodation service for homeless people in Northampton celebrates its one year of opening today (14 May). NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has funded a medical clinic providing essential medical support to the users and residents of Oasis House, Northampton.

The clinic is ran by Maple Access staff who provide drop-in sessions on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, as well as Thursday afternoons which includes access to a GP and mental health nurse, and support for those with mental health, drug and alcohol addiction problems. Patients are homeless people temporarily resident at oasis house, many of whom have complex mental and physical problems as well as alcohol and drug addictions.

Dr Kamal Sood, GP Chair for Northampton Central Locality for NHS Nene CCG, said: "I am very proud that the service has now been in operation for a year. Maple Access has made a real difference to the lives of people who are often seen as being on the fringes of society and who may feel they are unable to access mainstream healthcare."

Daniel Kane, Business Manager at Maple Access said: “The clinics really help vulnerable people to access health services and combined with other services at Oasis House, can really help people get their life back on track.”

Maple Access is one part of a partnership of organisations that together make up Oasis House, ensuring a holistic service catering to the needs of some of society’s most vulnerable.

For more information, please visit http://www.mapleaccess.org.uk/

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are launching consultations on two services currently being delivered by Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

As part of their Shaping Healthcare in Northamptonshire work, a review is taking place on residential respite for people with neuro-degenerative conditions and community podiatry services.

Dr Matthew Davies, Clinical Director and Community/Out of Hospital lead at NHS Nene CCG, said: “We are passionate and committed about patient care and improving the quality and choice of health services in Northamptonshire. We know the local health services need to be improved and in order to achieve more efficient and high quality patient care we want to give patients more choice about how and where they receive their care.

“The community podiatry service is currently available to everyone regardless of whether there is a medical need. This can cause delays for those patients who generally need the specialist skills this service provides. We want to work with existing users to review the service and ensure those with the greatest medical need are receiving the treatment they require and that others are still able to access services through an alternative provider including voluntary agencies.

“We have spoken to people with neuro-degenerative conditions who currently receive support, in particular respite care, and they have expressed an interest in receiving greater choice in how and where they receive support. We are reviewing the service to see how we can provide services to all those who need it across Northamptonshire and improve patient choice.

“We are at the beginning of this review, no decisions have been made at this point and we want to work with patients and their families, carers, staff and partners to ensure any decision made is shaped by the people of Northamptonshire who use the local health services.

“Our main priority is ensuring our patients receive the best possible care and we have launched these consultations to ensure they have the opportunity to have their say on the future of the services they use.”

Service user from both services have been contacted and invited to take part in the review and partner agencies are also being consulted. More information on healthcare in Northamptonshire is available through http://www.neneccg.nhs.uk/current-consultations.

Please see below our statement with regards to the Care Quality Commission's report on Kettering General Hospital.

Peter Boylan, Director of Nursing and Quality for NHS Corby and NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Groups, said: "As the local commissioners of the county's health services, we are very concerned with the issues raised by this CQC report on Kettering General Hospital, and take them extremely seriously.

"We shall work with and support KGH to ensure that the concerns raised in the report are resolved as quickly as possible, and will monitor the changes implemented to ensure the necessary improvements are made and sustained.

"Some of the issues raised by the CQC highlight the challenges faced by Northamptonshire’s health economy in delivering high quality, safe care for all of our patients. The partnership and collaborative working between our local hospitals, commissioners and other health and care partners in the Healthier Northamptonshire programme therefore becomes even more crucial, as we endeavour to shape hospital services for the long term benefit of patients in the county."

As we head into the bank holiday weekend, Northamptonshire residents are being reminded not to visit A&E unless they genuinely need to be there.

Dr Judith Dawson, Urgent Care Lead at NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: 'No one likes to have their time wasted especially when they could be enjoying the bank holiday weekend, however many people choose to spend part of it in A&E when they don't need to. 

"Remember there are many alternative NHS services available if you are unwell or injured, including your local pharmacy, NHS 111 and walk in centres."

Many pharmacies are open over the bank holiday and can give you advice on treating symptoms such as diarrhoea, minor infections and headaches. You can call NHS 111 if you have a non life-threatening emergency and are not sure where to go, or you can visit the Corby Urgent Care Centre or Northampton Minor Emergencies for symptoms including suspected breaks, rashes, infections or cuts.

The Corby Urgent Care Centre is open every day between 8am-8pm including Sundays and bank holidays. Northampton Minor Emergencies is open 24 hours a day and is based next to A&E at Northampton General Hospital. These services are for the assessment and treatment of conditions which you think cannot wait for a GP appointment at your own practice. The GP Out of Hours Service can be contacted over the bank holiday weekend on 111.

A&E is only for people who are experiencing a life threatening emergency such as a heart attack, stroke or a serious accident.

For more information and to view pharmacy rotas visit: www.neneccg.nhs.uk/choosewell

Services that are available include:

Self care

This is the best choice to treat very minor illnesses, ailments and injuries. A range of common illnesses such as colds, flu and stomach upsets can be treated with over the counter remedies and plenty of rest. To check your symptoms visit www.nhs.uk

Pharmacy

Your local pharmacist can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints, saving you having to wait for a GP appointment or go to A&E.

GP Out of Hours

If it's a non life threatening emergency and you need care after hours, call the GP Out of Hours Service on 111

Walk in centres

These services are for the assessment and treatment of conditions which you think cannot wait for a GP appointment at your own practice, and require urgent and necessary attention.

Corby Urgent Care Centre is open 8am-8pm every day of the year. Willowbrook Health Complex, Cottingham Road, Corby NN17 2UR. 

Northampton General Hospital Minor Emergencies is open a 24 hours, 7 days a week. Northampton General Hospital, Cliftonville, Northampton, NN1 5BD.

Staff from the Brook Health Centre in Towcester are to take part in a charity walk to raise money for two charities supporting Huntington’s Disease and Carers.

Brook Health Centre won the Jane Roebuck Northamptonshire Carers Awards for Best GP Supporting Carers earlier this year, after being nominated by their patients, in particular a family who have Huntington’s Disease. As a result, the staff wanted to show their appreciation by raising money for both charities, so ten members of staff will be taking part in the Waendel Walk in Wellingborough on Saturday 11^th May.

Julia Jones, Practice Manager at Brook Health Centre, said: “We were so overwhelmed and proud to receive the award this year after being nominated by our patients, that  we wanted to say thank you by raising money for the two charities.

“If anyone would like to sponsor us on the charity walk, we have sponsorship forms in the surgery, a downloadable one on the website http://www.brookhealthcentre.co.uk/ or donations can be dropped into our charity boxes on the reception desk.”

ENDs

NHS England today joins with Public Health England, the Department of Health and local authorities across the country to urge parents of 10–16 year olds to prevent measles by getting their children vaccinated with the MMR jab.

Figures published today show high numbers of confirmed measles cases in England in the first three months of 2013 (587 by the end of March), following a record number of almost 2,000 cases in 2012.  The rise in measles cases is mostly due to 10 – 16 year olds who missed out on vaccination in the late 1990s and early 2000s when concerns were raised by discredited fears of the MMR vaccine.

There are now one third of a million children in this age group in England who have not been immunised against measles and a further one third of a million who have only had one jab, instead of the two jabs needed to ensure they are fully protected.

Dr David Geddes, Head of Primary Care Commissioning at NHS England and a practising GP said:

"I would urge parents and guardians of 10 -16 year olds to check whether your child has had both of their MMR jabs?  If they have not had the required two doses of the vaccine or you are not sure, contact your local GP surgery to discuss and arrange getting the MMR jabs. I would also urge young people who are aged 16 and over, and who are uncertain about their immunisation status to come forward to get themselves vaccinated.  Everyone can have the vaccine as long as it is medically advisable for them to do so”.  

“Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to man and is a very unpleasant  and potentially fatal, but entirely preventable disease.  To prevent an outbreak as we have seen in Wales recently it is essential to protect our children and young people.  Therefore I would urge everyone who is not fully immunised against measles to discuss having the vaccine with their practice.  

For more information about measles and the vaccination, click here.

So you ordered your repeat prescription a week too early. So there’s a bit of a build up in your medicine cupboard. It’s only a few pills. What harm can it do?

Unused prescription medicines cost £4.6 million every year in Northamptonshire.  This puts pressure on other areas of healthcare - for example, right now the cost of waste medicines in this county could have paid for:

• Cataract operations for 4,780 people – someone you know might have a greater chance at regaining their sight.
• Potentially life-saving breast cancer drug treatments for 304 mothers, sisters, wives and girlfriends.
• 600 life-saving heart operations

Medicines are prescribed to prevent ill health, relieve symptoms or cure serious illnesses. If these are not taken as intended, this is considered a waste because they are not being used for the right reasons.

Thursday (4 April) sees the launch of the Northamptonshire Medicines Waste campaign with surprise-filled outreach events in Corby, Wellingborough, Daventry and Northampton spread across the day to draw dramatic attention to the issue.

Sue Smith, Head of Prescribing and Medicines Management at NHS Nene CCG and NHS Corby CCG, said: “Medicines wastage is a serious problem for the NHS. Some patients or carers with repeat prescriptions order more medication than they really need and stockpile them at home. People often continue to order medicines they are no longer taking and do not need.

“All of this wastes millions of pounds. But that cost can be counted in human terms too, given the healthcare that this money could have been spent on, but also the health benefits that people may not be getting because they are not taking their medicines as intended.

“So think carefully before ticking all the boxes on your repeat prescription request form and only tick those you really need. If your pharmacist or a carer orders your medicines on your behalf, make sure that you tell them to only order what you need.  If you need the medicine in the future you will still be able to request it. You should let your GP or pharmacist know if you’ve stopped taking any of your medicines or if you have any concerns.  If you are going into hospital please take all your medicines with you.”

If you have any queries or concerns about your medicines you can ask your pharmacist for a Medicines Use Review. The pharmacist will explain what all your medicines are for and answer any questions you may have. Alternatively you can ask your doctor for advice.

Ben Gowland, Chief Executive and Accountable Officer at NHS Nene said, “It doesn’t stop as of Monday 1 April, it only starts. At Nene CCG we want to see improvements that prevent people from dying early, that help them to manage their health conditions to lead a life that’s as full and active as it possibly can be, and most of all, make the switch from managing poor health to stopping it in the first place.”

To ensure that patients will get the best possible care that they need, Nene will be focusing on four main areas:

• Stopping premature death from strokes, heart disease, and cancer.
• Enabling those with long term conditions to manage their conditions effectively.
• Preventing unnecessary illness.
• Developing a system of care that ensures the best possible quality of care to be delivered.

For more information about NHS Nene CCG, visit http://www.neneccg.nhs.uk/about_nene_ccg/. 

Some of the county’s DETECT Champions have visited the regional bowel screening centre in Nottingham to learn about the importance of screening for cancer.

A group of DETECT (Diagnose Early To get Effective Cancer Treatment) Champions visited Queens Medical Centre to find out about screening and symptoms, and to see first-hand the process behind the Bowel Screening Programme.

The visit involved a tour of the centre and its facilities, including observations of the laboratory and the programme’s helpline.

The visit is hoped to allow current champions to develop their understanding of bowel cancer symptoms and the screening process, which in turn can be used to help educate others.

Judy Shephard, a DETECT Champion, said, “I feel really privileged to have visited the centre today, and it gave a real insight into bowel screening. This has given me confidence to encourage members of the public to have a bowel screening test as the earlier it is caught, the easier it can be treated.”  

Rosalind Gibson, another Champion, said, “Today’s visit has given me a great insight as to how future tests will take place. I was amazed to see that the screening process had a quick turn-around from testing to referral. It was a great service and I feel better equipped to go out into my community and teach others about the importance of bowel screening and symptoms.”

A DETECT Champion is someone who goes out into their local community to promote the signs and symptoms of cancer, and spread the message that many cancers can be easily treated if detected early.

Champions can talk to their friends, family, neighbours and local community about cancer, and encourage them to get screened or contact their GP if they have any concerns. 

If you want to become a DETECT Champion, or for more information about screening, visit www.talksooner.co.uk.

Families are being reminded to Choose Well and not hop to A&E over the school Easter Holidays unless they are faced with a life threatening condition.

All parents want what is best for their child, however many take them to A&E when they can be treated quicker and more conveniently closer to home.

Dr Judith Dawson, Urgent Care Lead at NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group said: ‘Parents can visit their local pharmacy for advice and medication for many common complaints such as colds, strains, headaches and minor infections. If you require urgent medical attention outside of normal GP opening hours you can contact the GP Out of Hours service.’

If you live in the north of the county the Corby Urgent Care Centre is open every day between 8am-8pm. This service is for the assessment and treatment of conditions which you think cannot wait for a GP appointment at your own practice, and requires urgent and necessary attention.

An online health guide has been produced to help remind people on their different treatment options, top tips for enjoying the bank holiday weekend and bank holiday pharmacy opening times. The guide can be viewed here.

Services that are available include:

Self care

This is the best choice to treat very minor illnesses, ailments and injuries. A range of common illnesses such as colds, flu and stomach upsets can be treated with over the counter remedies and plenty of rest. To check your symptoms visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

Pharmacy

Your local pharmacist can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints, saving you having to wait for a GP appointment or go to A&E.

GP Out of Hours

If it’s a non life threatening emergency and you need care after hours, call the GP Out of Hours Service on 03336 664 664.

Minor Emergency Unit/Corby Urgent Care Centre

This service is for the assessment and treatment of conditions which you think cannot wait for a GP appointment at your own practice, and require urgent and necessary attention.

Corby Urgent Care Centre is open 8am-8pm every day of the year. Willowbrook Health Complex, Cottingham Road, Corby NN17 2UR. 

Northampton General Hospital Minor Emergenciesis open at the same time as A&E – 24 hours, 7 days a week. 

Ben Gowland, Chief Executive Officer, NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “There is undoubtedly room for improvement in the delivery of children’s safeguarding in Northamptonshire. The NHS plays a full part in that process. However, it is important not to lose sight of the many important interventions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people that are delivered everyday by all the agencies in the county charged with that duty.

“The Care Quality Commission has deemed it unnecessary to further inspect the aspects of children’s safeguarding provided by health services in Northamptonshire at this time. However, there is much work for us to do with our partners and the work of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. We shall work with and support all our partners to protect from harm children and young people of this county.”

If you are impressed with the efforts your daughter makes for you on Mother’s Day, you can return the favour in a way that could be a real lifesaver.

This Mother’s Day, NHS Northamptonshire is asking mothers to encourage their daughters to protect themselves against cervical cancer - after studies show that they will have a greater awareness of the disease if their mothers regularly attend screenings.

Teenagers were three times more likely to have a HPV vaccination if their mothers had been tested in the last five years, a study in the European Journal of Cancer has concluded.

You can help protect your daughter by encouraging her to take preventative measures that are available. If she’s between the ages of 12 and 13 she qualifies for a HPV vaccine, which will prevent her from getting HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), one of the causes of cervical cancer.

If she’s 25 years old and over, she’s entitled to a cervical screening every three to five years. This checks the cervix for abnormalities, which, left untreated, could become cancerous. If your daughter has received an invitation for a cervical screening test, it’s really important that she attends as if found early, cervical cancer can be easily treated.

Dr Stephen Rogers, Public Health Consultant, said “It’s really important that women are aware of what they can do to help prevent cervical cancer. Recent figures suggest that there are increasing numbers of cases in younger women – cases which could have been identified early on and easily treated. We’re therefore calling on all mothers in Northamptonshire to ensure their daughter is armed against cervical cancer.”

Almost 3,400 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK each year. That’s nine women every day, an amount that could be significantly reduced if caught early.

As part of an on-going campaign called “No Excuses”, an event is being held in Northampton on Saturday 9 March to help promote cervical screening. 

For more information about cervical screening, visit www.noexcuses-nhs.uk. To view a recent flash-mob which raises awareness of cervical screenings, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZzthnYXgtM. 

A campaign to help protect vulnerable people in cold weather has been a great success.

Wrapped Up was a joint initiative between Northamptonshire County Council, NHS Northamptonshire Public Health, Age UK, Nene Valley Community Action and Northamptonshire Community Foundation. 

Events have taken place across the county and outreach workers have spoken to more than 1,000 people face to face. So far there have been more than 1,500 hits to the Wrapped Up website - www.wrappedup.org.uk.

Events were held at community and shopping centres and people were given advice and information about the support available for vulnerable people, including older people and those with long term health conditions, to keep safe, well and warm.

The campaign provided practical support and assistance to those identified as vulnerable, including the provision of room thermometers, carbon monoxide detectors, supplementary heating, winter clothing and transport to health appointments.

Professor Stephen Horsley, Director of Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire, said: “In Northamptonshire alone, around 13% of our households are elderly people living on their own, with over 8% of our over 65s living in houses with no central heating and 11.5% of households living in fuel poverty. It is essential that we provide all the support we can to help ensure these people are kept safe and well.”

Councillor Robin Brown, county council cabinet member for health and adult social services said: “We are pleased to have been able to support this scheme to help vulnerable or older people stay well during winter.”

Age UK Northamptonshire’s Chief Officer, Liam Condron said: "Cold weather and fuel poverty causes misery, avoidable illness and even death for too many older people.  Winter is a distressing time for older people and their families and puts great pressure on healthcare providers.

“We are delighted that the Wrapped Up scheme has enabled local authorities to work alongside charitable and community organisations to help to keep vulnerable older people well during winter and ease the strain on local NHS and social care services.”

The campaign encourages local residents to check and ensure that vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives in high risk groups are looked out for in the colder weather. Support is still available for those who need it by calling 0845 677 2220 9:00am-12noon Monday to Friday or visiting www.wrappedup.org.uk.

Has your New Year’s resolution to quit smoking not been as successful as you hoped? Don’t worry, Wednesday is No Smoking Day – a day when you, and many others, can all quit for good.

No Smoking Day is a national event which encourages smokers to give up their cigarettes. This year’s theme is ‘Swap your fags for swag’ which hopes to highlight that not only will quitting improve your health, but it will also mean that hundreds of pounds will be saved from not buying cigarettes.

For example, did you know, that if you smoke five cigarettes every day for a whole year, it will total up to around £639 – money that could be better spent on a new laptop, a holiday or put towards household bills.

Each year, three quarters of a million people attempt to quit on No Smoking Day, and we’re encouraging Northamptonshire’s smokers to join them! We’ll be holding events around the county with our friend ‘Swag the Fag’ to show how much you will gain from ditching your cigarettes.

Gail Addison, Stop-Smoking service manager at Northants Healthcare Foundation Trust said, “Smoking accounts for 800,000 deaths in England each year, making it the biggest cause of premature death in the country.

“No Smoking Day is a great chance for smokers to kick the habit and go smoke-free. Even if you decide to stop smoking just for the day, you might find once you’ve gone without a cigarette for 24 hours, you can go without them for good!”

Events will be taking place in Kettering, Northampton and Wellingborough throughout No Smoking Day [see below schedule] where you’ll be able to come and see us for stop-smoking advice and goodie bags.

The stop-smoking team will be at the following locations on 13 March between 10am and 4pm:

• Northampton Abington Street and outside Boots
• Corby outside Boots
• Kettering outside Asda
• Wellingborough Swansgate Shopping Centre

To coincide with No Smoking Day, members of staff from Finedon Pharmacy joined local marketing professionals to create a very special Quit Kit version of the infamous Harlem Shake.

To see the video and for more information about stopping smoking in Northamptonshire, visit www.goodbyesmoke.co.uk

The NHS in Northamptonshire has become aware that patients in some parts of the county may have been unable to access NHS Direct in the last 24 hours.

Instead, as we understand it, they have been hearing a pre-recorded message offering them the option of redialling either 111 or 999 depending on the severity of their incident.

111, the replacement for NHS Direct, will not be active for several weeks so – while we continue to investigate – it seems reasonable to assume that a technical problem has resulted in this pre-recorded message going live too early. 

The NHS Direct number has now been restored. However, if you experience any further difficulty before the official launch of the 111 service you should, depending on the time of day, contact either your own GP surgery or the Out of Hours GP service on 03336 664 664 unless your incident is a genuine 999 emergency.

If you're between the age of 40 and 75, you qualify for a free NHS health check.

Over the next few weeks we'll be holding events around the county where you can come along and have a health check. This assesses the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and kidney disease - conditions that everybody is at risk of, but can be easily prevented with simple lifestyle changes.

Events will be taking place at the following locations:

Tuesday 26 February     Asda Rushden

Monday 11 March          Towcester Leisure Centre

Friday 1 March              Daventry Leisure Centre

Thursday 7 March          Swansgate Shopping Centre

Saturday 16 March         ASDA Kettering

Saturday 23 March         Grosvenor Centre

Sunday 24 March           Asda Kingsthorpe

For more information about health checks in Northamptonshire, visit www.northantshealthcheck.co.uk

Winter is a very busy time for the NHS and it is important that people take steps to take care of themselves. As the colder weather continues, and with talk of yet more snow later this week, NHS Nene CCG is reminding people to use the right services if they become unwell.

Patients should seek alternative methods of treatment after an injury or if feeling poorly, instead of going straight to A&E departments. Other options include:

• Self-care – Having a well stocked medicine cabinet is particularly important during cold weather, as colds and flu can be easily treated at home with plenty of rest.
• Pharmacies – Your local pharmacist will be able to give you confidential advice about a range of common illnesses without having to wait for an appointment at your GP.
• GP - Your GP can help if you have an illness or injury that won’t go away. Simply book an appointment.
• GP out of hours services - If it’s an emergency and you need care after hours, call your GP surgery and listen to the message which will let you know what to do.
• Walk-in centres and minor injuries – Here you can receive treatment without having to book an appointment, but patients will be seen in order of clinical priority.

It is also important to keep warm during these colder spells. Heat your home at 21^oC during the day and 18^o C during night-time, and wrap up warm when outside. If it snows, make sure you wear shoes or boots with a good grip to avoid slipping.

This year, Valentine’s Day is also National ‘Think about Sex’ day, so the NHS in Northamptonshire is encouraging victims of rape and sexual assault to speak out about their experience.

It’s part of a campaign, which was launched in December, that aims to encourage 18-30 year old male and female victims to come forward and talk to Serenity, a Northamptonshire-based Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), so that they can be assisted to find the help and services they need.

Events will be taking place in Abington Street, Northampton (11am – 2pm), and Wellingborough town centre (9pm - 12am) to spread the message about consent, define what sexual assault is, encourage people to think about the affects of sex and to use Serenity if they need confidential help and advice.

Serenity opened in April 2010, and sees over 500 cases of sexual assault from men and women of all ages every year. The effects of sexual assault or rape can be devastating; many victims feel distressed, angry, anxious and guilty about what has happened to them. Serenity hopes to help with these issues, and remind them that they don’t have to tell the police if they don’t want to.

Glynis Bliss, Sexual Assault Referral Centre manager at Serenity says, “It’s difficult for many victims to talk about what has happened to them, and we understand that many don’t report to the police because they think they won’t be believed or that people will judge them.”

 “Serenity is a safe place to get the help and advice that they need. They will be able to discuss all their options with us in complete confidence. Their health and wellbeing is our first priority, but if they do decide to report to the police, we will support them through every step so that whatever they might decide, it is their choice.”

The countywide campaign is in partnership with Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and Northamptonshire Police, and includes a hard-hitting viral clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY2BW7i4xh4, and a new-look Serenity website www.serenitynorthants.co.uk.

The campaign ties in with the relaunch of the Home Office campaign from last year, which encourages teenagers and young people to rethink their views of rape and sexual assault, and direct them to places of support and advice.

And while this campaign focuses on young people, NHS Northamptonshire is reminding people that rape can happen to anybody, regardless of their age or gender.

If you are concerned about sexual assault or rape, call the Serenity helpline on 01604 601 713. Alternatively, you can visit www.serenitynorthants.co.uk, or email serenity@nhft.nhs.uk

We all like to look good for our special someone on Valentine’s Day, but what would we think if we could actually see how we look on the inside? Would we take better care if we really did wear our hearts on our sleeves?

This month, NHS Northamptonshire’s health ninjas will be out and about in the county, encouraging people to have a health check! Their suits will illustrate vital organs like the heart, to show on the outside what’s important on the inside.

It will be part of a national campaign to promote the free NHS health check, available to people between the ages of 40 and 74. The NHS health check is a free service, which assesses the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and kidney disease. Everyone is at risk of these conditions but the good news is that they can often be prevented by simple lifestyle changes.

Dr Stephen Rogers, Consultant in Public Health said, “Many people between the ages of 40 and 74 don’t go and have their health check because they feel physically normal and healthy, but what they don’t know is that some conditions might not present with symptoms for many years. Having a health check will help you to be better prepared for a healthier future.”

The events will begin on Valentine’s Day at 10am – 3pm at Weston Favell shopping centre, with free activities such as healthy eating master-classes, DETECT champion cancer workshops and the opportunity to have a free health check. It will then continue around the county through to the end of March.

Events will be taking place at:

14 February                Weston Favell Shopping Centre

26 February                Asda Rushden

28 February                Towcester Town Hall

1 March                      Daventry Leisure Centre

7 March                      Swansgate Shopping Centre

Make sure you come along early to book your slot.

For more information about health checks in your area, visit www.northantshealthcheck.co.uk. 

With the half term holidays upon us, the NHS in Northamptonshire is reminding everyone of the range of health services available. Cuts, bruises, bumps and grazes are some of the most common occurrences when children are off school, most of which can be treated by self-care.

It’s vital to make sure you choose the most appropriate NHS service so additional pressure is not put on our busy hospitals, so here are our top tips for a healthy half term:

1. Where possible, self-care and remember you can always seek advice from NHS Direct which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0845 46 47, or alternatively you can visit NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk.

2. Don’t forget you can also speak to your local pharmacist, who can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints.

3. Your local GP practice provides a wide range of family health services for you. These include:

• advice on health problems
• examinations and treatment
• minor injury services
• contraceptive and sexual health advice
• mental and emotional wellbeing
• vaccinations
• prescriptions for medicines
• referrals to other health services and social services

4. Injuries that give more cause for concern such as sprains, strains, minor burns and wounds can  be treated at:

Northampton General Hospital Minor Emergencies Minor Illness and Minor Injury Unit is located next to Accident and Emergency, just inside the main entrance at Northampton General Hospital. It shares the same opening hours as Accident and Emergency.

5. If you need a doctor outside of normal opening hours, you can call the Northamptonshire GP Out of Hours Service on 03336 664 664. The service is available from 6.30pm-8am and 24 hours a day on weekends and bank holidays.

6. Accident & Emergency (A&E) is only for the most urgent care such as serious accidents or medical emergencies.               

What's more embarrassing...

• Having your skirt tucked into your knickers?
• Toilet roll stuck to your shoe?
• A cervical screening test?

That's one of the questions NHS Northamptonshire will be asking women across the county in a series of events aimed at encouraging women to beat embarrassment and have a cervical screening test.

Studies show that the main reasons why women in Northamptonshire don’t attend their cervical screening appointments are embarrassment, fear of pain, and that they don’t have enough time, so a campaign called “No excuses” has been launched by NHS Northamptonshire.

The campaign aims to promote cervical screening to women aged 25-29, addressing the main barriers to screening and letting them know that if caught early, cervical cancer can often be easily treated. 

As part of the campaign, a video of cheeky flashmobs in Northampton, Leicester and Coalville is also being released which you can view here. The Northampton flashmob took place on Abington Street and featured women with their skirts tucked in their knickers walking proudly down the street to the sound of "Here Come the Girls" to the amusement of Saturday shoppers. The message was that having your skirt tucked into your knickers in public is embarrassing, but having a cervical screen is not. It’s normal. The flashmob also promoted www.noexcuses-nhs.co.uk - a new website where information on cervical screening can be found, including where to go for a cervical screening test and frequently asked questions. 

The outreach teams will be hitting town centres across the county in the next few weeks, talking to women about cervical screening, and handing out useful information at the following locations:
  
Fri 8th February - 7pm-midnight - Kettering Town Centre
Sat 9th February 10am till 12:30pm - Daventry High Street
Sat 9th February - 7pm-midnight - Wellingborough Town Centre
Sat 16th February - 7pm-midnight - Bridge St/Abington St, Northampton
Sat 23rd February - 10am-6pm - Wellingborough Town Centre
Sat 9th March - 10am-6pm - Grosvenor Centre, Northampton
Sat 16th March - 10am-6pm - Corby Town Centre/Morrisons

Almost 3,400 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK each year – that’s nine women every day. It is the most common cancer in women under 35 years old. The national screening target is to screen 80%. In Northamptonshire, screening rates among women aged 25-29 age group were significantly lower than this national target at 66% in 2012.

If you are female and between the ages of 25 and 64, NHS cervical screening programme staff will write to you every three to five years and ask you to go for a test at your GP surgery. When you get your letter, it's really important that you attend these appointments, because, if caught early, treatment can often prevent cervical changes developing into cancer.

Make sure you are registered with a GP so that you are invited for NHS screening tests. If you are not registered with a GP practice or you would prefer an alternative you can have a cervical screen at a family planning clinic or genito-urinary medicine (GUM) department. For more information on where to go visit www.noexcuses-nhs.co.uk. 

For more information about cervical screening, visit www.noexcuses-nhs.co.uk

The third Jane Roebuck Carers Awards were held on Wednesday 30 January to celebrate the work of carers in Northamptonshire during 2012.

In addition to the difference they make to the lives of their loved ones, it is estimated that carers save health and social services around £120bn a year nationally. One in ten people are carers and in Northamptonshire alone there are around 70,000 known carers.

The prestigious awards ceremony, which was held at Rushton Hall, was attended by healthcare professionals and councillors from around the county, as well as Rachel Holynska, Deputy Regional Director of Social Care of the Department of Health.

Mark Major, Director of Northamptonshire Carers said, “The awards were a great success and we were absolutely thrilled that so many people put forward nominations.

"Carers do a vital job and these awards help raise their profile and awareness of the amazing work these people do, often in extremely challenging circumstances.

"While we have only awarded some of the nominees with awards, it must be known that all carers are winners and the work they do for others is extremely valuable.”

This year’s winners are:

Carer of the Year - Alison Fursey of Northampton

Highly Commended     

-   Pat Grieve of Kettering

-   Wendy Moore of Welford

-   Usha Raichra of Northampton

-   Gary Walker of Daventry

Young Carer of the Year - Alice, Lottie, and Tilly Mansfield of Northampton

Highly Commended

-   Courtney Baker of Rushden

-   Daisy Helsdown of Kettering

Best GP Practice Supporting Carers -  Brook Health Centre, Towcester

Highly Commended - Dr B Khan, Dr Datta and Parenters of the Matlock Centre, Wellingborough

Best School Supporting Carers - Northampton School for Boys

Best School Staff Supporting Carers - Elaine Sumpter of Kingswood School, Corby

Thanks to all of the people who nominated and to all carers.

For more information about carers, visit www.wholooksafteryou.co.uk. 

A cheeky spontaneous flashmob took place in Northampton aimed at encouraging women to beat embarrassment and have a cervical screening test.

Studies show that the main reasons why women in Northamptonshire don’t attend their cervical screening appointments are embarrassment, fear of pain, and that they don’t have enough time, so a campaign called “No excuses” has been launched by NHS Northamptonshire.

The campaign aims to promote cervical screening to women aged 25-29, addressing the main barriers to screening and letting them know that if caught early, cervical cancer can often be easily treated.

The flashmob took place on Abington Street, Northampton on Saturday 26 January featuring women with their skirts tucked in their knickers. The message was that looking like that in public is embarrassing, but having a cervical screen is not. It’s normal. Its aim was to promote  www.noexcuses-nhs.co.uk  - where information on cervical screening can be found, including advice and frequently asked questions. 

Almost 3,400 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK each year – that’s nine women every day. It is the most common cancer in women under 35 years old.

The national screening target is to screen 80%. In Northamptonshire, screening rates among women aged 25-29 age group were significantly lower than this national target at 66% in 2012.

Dr Stephen Rogers, cancer lead for NHS Northamptonshire - “Over the last two decades, the incidence of cervical cancer has almost halved. However the incidence in women aged 25-29 and in women 30-34 is increasing, with the incidence in the younger age group increasing by 80% over the last 10 years and by about 30% in women aged 30-34. This campaign is therefore important as screening and early detection can help to prevent cases of cervical cancer.”

Dawn Warner, Social Marketing Manager, said: “We organised the flashmob to catch people’s attention, raise awareness of cervical screening and to remind young women there are more embarrassing things than having the test!”

If you are female and between the ages of 25 and 64, NHS cervical screening programme staff will write to you every three to five years and ask you to go for a test at your GP surgery. It is important that you attend these appointments, because, if caught early, treatment can often prevent cervical changes developing into cancer.

Make sure you are registered with a GP so that you are invited for NHS screening tests. If you are not registered with a GP practice or you would prefer an alternative you can have a cervical screen at a family planning clinic or genito-urinary medicine (GUM) department. For more information on where to go visit www.noexcuses-nhs.co.uk. 

For more information about cervical screening, visit www.noexcuses-nhs.co.uk

With the cold weather hitting the county NHS Northamptonshire is spreading the warmth at events around the county giving advice and practical tips on how to keep warm as part of their ‘Wrapped Up’ campaign. 

The outreach team will be giving out winter packs to those who may be vulnerable to the cold or know someone who may need help. The winter packs include Carbon Monoxide detectors, thermometers, a practical checklist to ensure you or someone you care about is warm this winter and useful services information. The campaign encourages local residents to check and ensure that vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives in high risk groups are looked out for this winter.

The outreach workers will be at the following venues and locations:             

24/01/2013        12-4pm             ASDA, Corby

28/01/2013        12-4pm             ASDA, Northampton

29/01/2013        11-3pm             Daventry Market, Daventry

30/01/2013        12-4pm             Kettering High Street, Kettering

31/01/2013        12-4pm             Sainsbury's, Wellingborough

01/02/2013        12-4pm             Market Square, Northampton

02/02/2013        12-4pm             Towcester Co-Op, Towcester

Wrapped Up is a collaborative campaign between NHS Northamptonshire Public Health, Northamptonshire County Council, Age UK Northamptonshire, Nene Valley Community Action and Northamptonshire Community Foundation. The aim of the campaign is to help vulnerable people, for example older people or those with long term health conditions, to keep warm and safe and prevent people needing to go to hospital during the winter months.

For further information about the support available call 0845 677 2220, 9.00am-1.00pm Monday to Friday or visit www.wrappedup.org.uk

A successful workshop was held in Kettering on Wednesday 16 January for NHS Northamptonshire’s DETECT (Diagnose Early to get Effective Cancer Treatment) Champions.

DETECT Champions are local people who are given training and support on the signs and symptoms of cancer, and provided with the DETECT Handbook which gives them the tools needed to engage with their community.

Once trained, a Champion goes out into their local area as and when they can and organises events, such as coffee mornings or presentations, or just simply to talk with their friends and family, to increase public knowledge of cancer symptoms and the screening programmes that are available and signposting for further support.

The event, held at Kettering Conference Centre, was attended by 30 people from around Northamptonshire. Guest speakers included David Payne, Consultant Urological Surgeon at Kettering General Hospital and Dr Shmueli Udi, Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Northampton General Hospital.

David Payne said, “What many people don’t realise is that if caught early, most cancers can be easily treated. The DETECT Champions are people who spread the message about early diagnosis of cancer to the local community and friends and family. They provide information on screenings and symptoms that will allow communities to work together to help fight cancer together.”

Jit Parekh, Social Marketing Manager at NHS Northamptonshire said, “The DETECT Champions network is a great way of getting the early detection message out to the public across Northamptonshire. At the workshop we heard some great stories from our  current DETECT Champions, who are doing  a fantastic job in talking to their friends, family and local community about early detection, so we want to encourage more people to sign up and make a difference."

If you would like to become a DETECT Champion, email communications@northants.nhs.uk or call 01604 651734. Alternatively, visit www.talksooner.co.uk or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/northamptonshiredetectchampions

This time of year, colds are as common as new year’s resolutions. There are more than 200 different viruses that cause colds and this is one of the reasons why we get so many. 

Many people ask their GP for antibiotics that they really don’t need rather than persevering with over-the-counter medicines, or waiting a little longer for the virus to run its course.

In most cases, you can treat the symptoms of a cold yourself from home by using a number of self-care techniques such as drinking plenty of fluids while getting plenty of rest, and also eating a healthy low fat, high fibre diet which includes lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Cold symptoms reach their peak after 36 to 72 hours and include:

• Dry, scratchy sore throat (usually the first sign of a cold)
• Runny nose and sneezing
• Hoarse voice
• Blocked, snuffly nose
• Cough
• Mild headache
• Mild fever
• Generally feeling unwell or muzzy headed

People can make more use of their pharmacists, who can offer advice on suitable over-the-counter treatments, which means avoiding an appointment with your GP and also the risk of spreading colds and flu by visiting the practice waiting room.

You’re most contagious during the first three days of a cold, when you shed huge amounts of the virus from your nose. The festive season of giving is now over so ensure you keep your cold to yourself by following these top tips:

• Avoid contact with other people
• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid touching your nose and eyes
• Use disposable tissues and bin used ones promptly – Catch it, Bin it, Kill it

 For more information on preventing the spread of colds and flu visit: www.washyourhands.org.uk

This new year, local GPs are encouraging their patients to have a free health check as part of a new year campaign which encourages us to be more healthy.

Patients aged between 40 and 74, who do not have a pre-existing heart-related condition, are eligible for a free NHS Health Check and can contact their GP surgery for an appointment.  Health Checks focus on preventing major causes of illness, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.  These conditions are often avoidable and manageable, and a health check could help flag up any potential issues before they become a problem.

Dr Darin Seiger from NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “A Health Check is a great opportunity to make sure that you do not have any underlying health problems which could impact on your health.  You may feel fine, but a NHS Health Check could help you enjoy a longer and healthier life. Patients who have had a health check told us,  that the free personalised advice about what they can do to stay healthy is very useful and helps them make positive decisions about their health and lifestyle.

“There is absolutely no need to worry about coming in for a health check – the aim is to prevent illness, and a few minutes spent on your health now could add years to your life. If the Health Check does highlight any potential problems then you will be offered plenty of advice and support to help you address them.”

Over the next couple of months GP practices in Northamptonshire will be writing to eligible patients asking them to get in touch and arrange their free NHS Health Check, alternatively patients can contact their surgery to find out more.

What will happen at the NHS Health Check?

• The Health Check itself will take about 20-30 minutes. 
• Cholesterol levels will be measured from your blood sample, and your blood pressure and pulse rate will be taken.
• Height and weight will also be taken to measure your BMI (body mass index). 
• A discussion about family history, smoking status, age and ethnicity and levels of physical activity also forms part of the check as these factors can contribute to your risk.
• A Healthcare Professional will give you your results and explain what they mean. In some instances, tests may have to be sent away for analysis.  This means that some people will not get their test results immediately and may be asked to return at a later date for discussion.
• You will be given advice and support on maintaining good health, and on lifestyle changes that will help you to improve your health.  If necessary, you will be offered treatment that will help: for example, medicine to lower raised blood pressure.

Vomiting and diarrhoea are symptoms of the ‘winter vomiting bug’ Norovirus, a group of viruses that are the most common cause of stomach bugs in England and Wales, affecting all ages.

Outbreaks of the illness are common, particularly within contained environments such as hospitals, nursing homes and schools. This is because the Norovirus spreads very easily from person to person and can survive for several days. The virus causes a sudden onset of nausea and vomiting, 12 to 48 hours after becoming infected.

Other symptoms include fever, headaches and aching limbs. Most people make a full recovery within one to two days and the virus is not generally dangerous, although it can be very unpleasant to experience.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of NHS Nene CCG, said: "There is no specific cure for Norovirus and the best option is to let it run its course, but each of us can do our bit to stop the spread of the virus by observing the basic rules of good hygiene. Washing your hands regularly is very important as this helps to reduce the spread of Norovirus, as well as colds and flu.

"If you do become unwell with a diarrhoea and vomiting illness, there is no need to visit your doctor, as there is no specific remedy to get you better quicker. Stay at home and drink plenty of water and sugary drinks, ensure babies and small children stay well and drink enough that they have wet nappies. Take paracetamol for fever, aches and pains, and practice good hygiene.

"If you are pregnant, there is no risk to your unborn child. It is possible to catch the virus more than once. Call NHS Direct or your GP/ nurse to seek advice if your symptoms last longer than a few days, if you have not passed urine, if your baby does not have a wet nappy for more than 12 hours, or if you already have a serious illness. It is a good idea to stay at home for 24- 48 hours after symptoms subside."

Key advice and information

• Always make sure you use the antiseptic hand gel when you enter and leave hospital, nursing home or other place where there are vulnerable people.
• Don’t visit anyone in hospital if you have symptoms of the Norovirus, including vomiting, diarrhoea, high temperature, aches and pains.
• Most people with the bug will make a full recovery within two to three days and are advised to stay at home, take paracetamol to relieve fever and drink plenty of water to replace lost fluids. Make sure you have some rehydration salts in your medicine cabinet.
• If you are unwell with diarrhoea and/or vomiting, please don’t go into your GP surgery, call them for advice. The triage nurse or GP will be able to tell you over the phone if you need to be seen.
• If you start to feel dehydrated, it is important to seek medical attention, particularly if you have a long term condition or you are elderly. NHS Direct is open 24 hours a day and can give you help and advice, as well as opening times for all out-of-hours NHS services and local pharmacies.

For more information on keeping well this winter, visit www.neneccg.nhs.uk/keep-warm-keep-well.

Northamptonshire residents are being encouraged to stay Elfy (Healthy) this Christmas by the local NHS.

While it might be the season to make merry and be jolly, it is important to look after your own health to make sure that your Christmas is one to remember, not one to forget.

Dr Judith Dawson, Urgent Care Lead at NHS Nene CCG said: ‘It is important to be prepared for Christmas and to make sure you have stocked up your medicine cabinet with items including cold and flu remedies, anti-diarrhoeal tablets, tissues and a first aid kit. Also if you have a prescription, make sure you pick it up before the busy Christmas period. We can all do our part to stay well by keeping warm, taking cold and flu remedies if we do begin to become ill and by having a flu jab’.

‘If you do fall ill over Christmas, remember there are lots of NHS services available to you. You can call NHS Direct on 0845 4647, you can visit a local pharmacy for advice and medication, and when your GP is closed you can call the GP Out of Hours Services on 03336 664 664 or for urgent treatment visit your local minor injury unit or Urgent Care Centre.’

NHS elves will be out over the next two weekends handing out elf hats and reminding party goers of the importance of not going to A&E unless it is an emergency. They will be out in the following towns between 8pm-1am on:

Saturday 15 December – Northampton

Thursday 20 December – Wellingborough

Friday 21 December – Kettering

Local NHS staff have also starred in a video of their top tips to a healthy Christmas which is available on www.HowsYourElf.co.uk. This website also includes a local service directory, pharmacy opening hours for the Christmas and New Year period, advice on alcohol and information on looking after your mental health and wellbeing.

Over 100 healthcare professionals from across Northamptonshire attended a conference last week (28 November) to discuss working together to reduce medicines wastage across the county, which costs the local NHS at least £4.6 million every year.

The conference was hosted by NHS Nene CCG and NHS Corby CCG and speakers included community, hospital and care home pharmacists, GPs, patient representatives and national experts.

Its aim was to:

• Understand the value of waste medicines and what can be done locally to reduce waste
• Develop a whole system approach for tackling waste management
• Improve prescribing systems and repeat re-order systems
• Share best practice
• Hear from guest speakers and leaders in key organisations

Sue Smith, Head of Prescribing for NHS Nene and NHS Corby CCG said, “We are delighted with how well the conference went today. It was encouraging to see so many different healthcare professionals, stakeholders and patient representatives come together to share experiences and ideas. The conference was not just about saving money, it also aimed to improve compliance and patient safety and change behaviours in relation to prescribing and ordering medication. We want to ensure that patients get the best from their prescribed medicines and as a consequence reduce waste.

“We will now take the feedback from the conference and use all the ideas to inform our medicines waste reduction campaign during 2013.”

Mukesh Lad, Chair of Pharmacy Northamptonshire said, “People are often shocked when they hear how much waste medicines cost the NHS, and it is money that could be spent on other services for the benefit of our patients. The figure of £4.6 million is solely for medicines returned to pharmacists for destruction - estimates suggest that the actual waste figure is considerably higher than this, so there is a lot of work to be done, and the conference is a positive step towards tackling this.”

You can view the presentations from the event here.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is reminding people that the cold and wintery conditions expected over the next few months could increase health problems for elderly people and those with long term conditions.

A fall in temperature to below 12 degrees Celsius, plus common winter illnesses such as coughs, colds, flu, and the winter vomiting bug, Norovirus, can have a serious impact on those with conditions such as heart and lung disease, cancer and asthma.

Judith Dawson, long term conditions lead for Nene CCG said: “Each winter we see an increase in the number of elderly people and those with an underlying health problems being admitted to hospital. They are particularly vulnerable to wintery conditions that the majority of us take for granted.

“To avoid winter illnesses, make sure you keep yourself warm – both inside your home and when you go out – and regularly wash your hands to stop the spread of viruses.”

To keep warm and well during spells of cold weather:

• Draw your curtains at dusk and keep your doors closed to block out draughts
• Have regular hot drinks and at least one hot meal a day if possible. Eating regularly helps keep energy levels up during winter
• Wear several light layers of warm clothes (rather than one chunky layer)
• Keep as active in your home as possible
• Wrap up warm and wear shoes with a good grip if you need to go outside on cold days

Keep your main living room at around 18-21°C (65-70°F), and the rest of the house at least 16°C (61°F). If you can’t heat all the rooms you use, heat the living room during the day and the bedroom just before you go to sleep.

For more information on keeping warm this winter, click here

Do you know someone who devotes their time to looking after someone else? Do you think they deserve to be acknowledged for the hard work and support they provide? If you are a carer, has your GP or school supported you to help cope with your caring responsibilities?

Then perhaps you could nominate someone for the third Northamptonshire Jane Roebuck Carers Awards, the annual awards ceremony which recognises the great work of carers in the county.

Mark Major, Director of Northamptonshire Carers, said “These awards give us all such a valuable chance to recognise the immense contribution of the county’s unpaid carers. Caring situations can last for many years and the selflessness and dedication of carers is something of which we should all be proud. The awards give the chance to hear real stories of real people within our communities, who do something quite remarkable every day.”

Michelle Stanton, winner of Carer of the Year 2011, said “The Carers Awards are a wonderful way of celebrating the county’s carers and the work they do for others. Carers don’t often receive any recognition for what they do, so events like these are a fantastic way of recognising the valuable care and support they give for another person.”

This year the awards, now in their third year, will be taking place at Rushton Hall on Wednesday 30 January. The ceremony will celebrate carers of all ages from around the county with the following categories:

• Young Carer of the Year (Under 18)
• Carer of the Year
• Best GP Practice supporting carers
• Best school supporting carers

This year there is a new category (Best school supporting carers) which recognises schools that have been particularly supportive of young carers.

To submit your nominations, complete an online form at www.wholooksafteryou.co.uk . Alternatively, forms can be downloaded and printed off and posted to: Northamptonshire Carers Award, NHS Northamptonshire, Francis Crick House, Summerhouse Road, Moulton Park, Northampton, NN3 6BF or email it to: carersawards@northants.nhs.uk

Nominations are welcome until 31 December 2012.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Maternity Northants are encouraging expectant mothers to have their babies normally.

The campaign for normal birth aims to reduce the numbers of unnecessary Caesarean sections and reassure mums-to-be that a normal vaginal birth is the healthiest option for both them and their baby. 

Local mums have lent their support to the campaign in a series of cases studies available at www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/maternity.

Jane, who gave birth at home on Christmas Eve 2010, said: ‘I wanted to be the first one to hold my baby and be with it right form the beginning and therefore felt the least amount of surgical intervention was the better option.’

Emma, who gave birth at Kettering General Hospital in June 2011, said: ‘Giving birth normally was one of the most exciting moments of my life, and even though I was in a considerable amount of pain, I have not been put off doing it again.’

Carol, who gave birth at Kettering General Hospital in March 2008, said: ‘I was able to look after my baby straight after the birth. I feel because of this I was not only able to cope better with the demands of a new baby, but felt empowered with the feeling of success and great achievement.’

Mr Paul Wood, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and Co-Chair of Maternity Northants, said: ‘We cannot stress enough how much more beneficial normal birth is for both mother and baby. Expectant mothers should be reminded that a Caesarean section is major surgery, and is therefore not the easier option for many reasons, including longer post-operative recovery times. If you’re unsure about what is right for you and your baby, your midwife will run through all the options with you and you can also discuss your individual circumstances with your obstetrician.’ 

The benefits of normal birth include:

• Babies born normally have a lower risk of contracting breathing problems
• Babies born normally receive proactive bacteria which helps develop a balanced immune system, protecting the baby from disease throughout childhood
• As the baby passes through the birth canal during normal birth, their blood circulation is stimulated which helps them to be ready for birth
• The recovery from a normal birth is almost immediate, meaning the mother can go home from the hospital soon after the birth

New Leaflets about the benefits of normal birth have been produced for midwives to discuss with pregnant mums. You can download the leaflet at: www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/maternity.

People in Northamptonshire who may still have doubts can find out exactly why it is so important to be vaccinated against flu in the next few weeks.

A series of Flu Safe Roadshows are being held in popular venues across the county in the run-up to the Christmas holidays and the height of winter.

Shoppers will be able to find out the full facts about flu, if they are in one of the Department of Health’s priority groups to get the jab, and ask any questions they may have.

The roadshows are being backed by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) - the new NHS health organisation led by GPs which will be responsible for commissioning healthcare for patients in Northamptonshire (with the exception of Corby) from April 2013.

Dr 'Funke Adedeji, Public Health Consultant at NHS Northamptonshire said: “Flu isn’t just  a bad cold – it can be much more serious. In the groups most at risk it can lead to very serious and life-threatening complications and could make any existing conditions worse.

“We are running these roadshows to get the message of prevention through vaccination across to as many people as possible, and give them the opportunity to ask any burning questions they might have and find out the facts.”

Date and venues for the roadshows, which take place between 10-3pm are: 

Monday 3 December: Boots, Kettering

Tuesday 4 December: Asda, Rushden and Boots, Swansgate Centre, Wellingborough

Friday 7 December: Boots, Daventry

Tuesday 11 December: Asda, Far Cotton, Northampton

Friday 14 December: Towcester Library

Dr Adedeji added: “Flu is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus infection. The types of virus in circulation change every year as does the vaccine which needs to keep in step, so it is important that you have the jab this winter, even if you had it last year.

“To help protect yourself and those around you, please make sure you ask for and have a flu jab at your local GP surgery. And remember, the flu jab does not contain live viruses, so it cannot give you the flu."

Priority groups include those aged over 65, pregnant women (who not only benefit through protection of themselves, but also share the protection with their unborn child), people with an existing serious medical condition, those living in a residential or nursing home, and people who are the main carers for an elderly or disabled person who may be at risk if they themselves fall ill.

As with most chest infections, practising cough hygiene is a good habit which could help to limit the spread of the virus - please remember to “catch it, bin it and kill it”

For more information, go to www.northamptonshire.nhs.uk/flu.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has held a focus group to promote the Personal Health Budget (PHB) scheme in Northamptonshire.

The event, which took place on Friday 16th November at Highgate House, was attended by around 40 people, including those who have a PHB, clinicians who support them and others involved in implementing the pilot.

They celebrated the success of the Personal Health Budget pilot across the county. The national evaluation report of the pilot is due to be published in the next two weeks. Delegates worked together to plan how PHBs are going to be implemented locally and made available for many more people in the next year.

Personal Health Budgets give patients more control and choice over the services they receive. PHBs enable patients to discuss their individual needs with their clinician and the health outcomes they want to achieve to improve their quality of life and wellbeing.

Gill Ruecroft, Northamptonshire Personal Health Budget Lead, said, “Personal Health Budgets in Northamptonshire allow people to tailor services to their individual needs and choose services/products that fit in with the way they live their lives. It is particularly beneficial to those with long term conditions, as it helps them manage their conditions independently and effectively. This means that the quality of care patients experience is increased significantly. Thank you to everyone who attended the event, particularly our patients and their carers, and we look forward to working with you again in the near future.”

For more information about Personal Health Budgets locally and to view a video, in which patients and clinicians describe their experience of PHBs, visit http://www.neneccg.nhs.uk/news/2012/personal-health-budgets-launched-in-northants/

Alternatively, read Gill’s blog here.

This link will take you to the national PHB learning network http://www.personalhealthbudgets.dh.gov.uk/

Winter has officially arrived and to help ensure Northamptonshire are ready for the chill, NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire is urging people to get stocked up by using the winter checklist.

This year, Self Care Week runs from Monday 12 – Friday 18 November. Self Care Week is an annual national awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self care across communities, families and generations.

Across Northamptonshire NHS colleagues will be out and about in the local community during Self Care Week challenging people to write a winter checklist of all the essential items they think they will need. They will be advised on their list and given further information on items they may not have considered to ensure they have so they are stocked up for the winter.

Look out for our colleagues dressed as a giant prescription and a box of painkillers at the following locations:

Wednesday 14 November

• Corporation Street, Corby, 10am – 11.30am
• Town Centre (Gold Street and Market Place), Kettering, 12.30pm – 2pm
• Swansgate Centre, Wellingborough, 3pm – 4.30pm 

Thursday 15 November

• Waitrose, Rushden, 10am – 11.30am
• Abington Street, Northampton, 12.30am – 2pm
• Waitrose, Daventry, 3pm – 4.30pm

For For further information on keeping well this winter including a link to the winter checklist visit http://www.miltonkeynes-northamptonshire.nhs.uk/winter/.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has won an NAPC (National Association of Primary Care) Vision Award for Best Efficiency Initiative for the Care Home Advice Pharmacist service.

The annual awards, took place in Birmingham last week, aim to recognise the work of clinical commissioners and their achievements. The Best Efficiency Initiative category celebrates those who have created an idea that is original and that will be an inspiration to others.

The Care Homes Advice Pharmacist service aims to work closely with care homes, GPs and Community Pharmacists to improve the quality of care of all residents in care homes by ensuring that they receive the appropriate medication for their conditions.

Darin Seiger, GP Chair for Nene CCG said, “The Care Home Advice Pharmacist team are dedicated to improving the quality of care of some of Northamptonshire’s most vulnerable patients, and it’s fantastic to see that all their good work has been recognised. Patients who are on many different types of medicines often tell us that they don't want to take as many tablets a day as they do so this scheme helps to ensure they only take the medicines they need to.”

Over three years, hundreds of care home residents have had their medications reviewed and improved.

To read more about the awards and the Care Home Advice Pharmacist service, click here

With half-term just around the corner, the real monsters of Halloween will soon be coming out to play.

The increasingly colder weather means that viruses and infections will spread quickly, so it’s never been more important to keep you and your family well.

Colds and flu are particularly contagious this time of year, but can be easily prevented by washing your hands regularly with warm water and soap, and by throwing away all used tissues.

Fiona Pimm, Senior Quality Improvement Manager, NHS Nene CCG said: ‘We want parents and children to enjoy half-term and make sure they are not affected by the real Halloween monsters such as tummy upsets or colds and flu. Using soap and water to clean hands of any germs will help stop the spread of infection. Having a well stocked medicine cupboard in case you do become poorly will help relieve symptoms’.

It is also important that the appropriate service is used in the event of illness. Local A+ E departments should only be used in emergency situations, while colds and flu can be treated with a well stocked medicine cabinet at home, or by asking your pharmacist for advice and remedies.

Medicine supplies should include:

• Children’s paracetamol – This can be given to children over the age of two months for pain and fever. Make sure you’ve got the right strength for your child. Overdosing is dangerous. Check with your pharmacist when you buy it, and read the label carefully
• Children’s ibuprofen – This can be given to children over the age of three months for pain and fever if they weigh more than 5kg (11lbs). Check the correct dose for your child’s age, and avoid ibuprofen if your child has asthma, unless advised by your GP
• Plasters, triangular bandage and two sterile eye dressings
• Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
• Safety pins
• Tweezers, scissors and sticky tape
• Alcohol-free cleansing wipes
• Thermometer, preferably digital
• Disposable sterile gloves

For more information on preventing the monsters spreading visit www.washyourhands.org.uk

Age UK Northamptonshire’s new ‘Welcome Home’ scheme is supported by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (Nene CCG) and funded by the Department of Health through the Health and Social Care Volunteering Fund.

This is a three year project, where volunteers, based in GP surgeries, make follow-up calls to older people to ensure they are managing after a stay in hospital. The project started in May 2012 calling patients registered with Wellingborough GP surgeries and will be moving to other areas to work with a total of thirty surgeries by 2015.

Age UK Northamptonshire’s GP engagement team leader, Caroline Kingsnorth said: “The Welcome Home scheme promotes independent living, by raising awareness of local services people may not have required prior to being in hospital.

“A volunteer will make a phone call from the GP surgery to check on how each person is getting on after a stay in hospital, signposting to services such as voluntary community transport schemes for getting to medical appointments or Northamptonshire Carers who support unpaid carers across the county.

“The volunteer finds out if the patient has had any medication changes explained to them, asks if they can wash and dress themselves, or if they are able to get to the shop for food and prepare meals. If any of these areas are proving difficult the volunteer can discuss local services which may be able to help them get back on track.”

Lesley James, Senior Locality Manager for Wellingborough said, “NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group have been delighted to work with Age UK to work with our GP practices on this project to improve the support to our patients who have experienced a hospital admission, and assist them when they return home”.

Helen McAdams is one of the projects first volunteers to help. She said: “ When I have that informal conversation with a patient I always feel I’ve achieved something, even if the patient does not need to be referred to services for help – they appreciate a friendly phone call from the surgery.”

Practice Manager, Mel Smith of Abbey Medical Practice said : “Having someone call patients after their discharge from hospital, whether it’s just to touch base or offer assistance and to talk about non-clinical matters has been well received. In some ways it helps to complete the circle”.

For more information about Age UK Northamptonshire's services call 01604 611200, or visit our website at www.acnorthants.org.uk

You would do anything to protect your unborn baby, but many pregnant women don’t realise how dangerous and debilitating flu can be.

Getting vaccinated against flu is the best way to protect yourself and your baby from the virus, and make sure you stay flu safe all winter. If you’re pregnant the flu jab is quick, safe and completely free. You can have the jab at any stage of pregnancy and it can also protect your baby for the first few months after birth.

Lesley-Anne Hamilton, Associate Director Children and Maternity, NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Pregnant women are at increased risk of serious illness if they catch flu. In fact, studies have shown that pregnant women with some strains of flu are four times more likely to develop serious illness and four to five times more likely to be admitted to hospital than the general population.”

“I want to reassure people that the seasonal flu vaccine is safe, and has been given routinely to pregnant women in the US and in other European countries for many years.”

“The jab can be given at any stage of pregnancy however the earlier you have the vaccine the better as it means you will be protected for the whole winter. Remember that flu can lay you low for a couple of weeks and make it really difficult to look after your kids or go to work – when it’s so easy to avoid with a quick jab it’s the last thing you need when you’re pregnant.”

It normally takes up to two weeks to develop protection after the vaccine and protection against flu lasts all winter. Pregnant women are urged to get a jab as soon as possible to minimise the risk to themselves and their babies.

The flu vaccine only lasts for a year, so if you had a jab last year or during a previous pregnancy, you will need another one to stay flu safe. The jab doesn’t contain the ‘live’ virus so it cannot give you the flu.

Flu is an unpleasant illness which can result in a stay in hospital. In severe cases flu can be a killer. Don’t take the risk – speak to your midwife or GP today to make sure you have a happy and healthy pregnancy by getting the jab and getting flu safe.

For more information, speak to your GP, midwife or local pharmacist, or visit our flu pages

To coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10th October, a children and young person’s emotional wellbeing and mental health event in Kettering was held by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

The conference, organised by the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Partnership was held at Kettering Conference Centre on Wednesday 10th October and was attended by 300 local professionals from a range of agencies. It aimed to promote the importance of young people’s emotional wellbeing and resilience, and to publicise the services available to them in Northamptonshire.

Studies show that one in four people experience mental health illness at some point in their life, and that 10% of children may have a mental health problem at any one time. The conference aimed to raise awareness of mental health among young people directly, specifically focusing on prevention, early intervention and tackling stigma associated with mental health.

Discussions and exhibition stands were held throughout the day, with presentations from a range of local professionals as well as a keynote speaker, Professor of Public Health in the Early Years, Jane Barlow of Warwick University

Peter Harper, Chair of the Northamptonshire Children and Young People’s Partnership, who led the event throughout the day, said:

“It is important that we promote the emotional wellbeing and the mental health of children and young people. People tend to associate issues such as depression, anxiety or eating problems with adults”

“But it needs to be in people’s minds that anyone can suffer from mental health difficulties and that everyone should have someone to talk to and get advice from. Promoting the emotional wellbeing and resilience of children and young people is an important part of preventing mental health difficulties in both childhood and adulthood.”

The event also saw the launch of ‘Ask NORMEN’, a new website with information about mental health services in the county to young people, parents and carers, as well as healthcare professionals.

To find out more about ‘Ask NORMEN’, click here.

Global Handwashing Day is a timely reminder of the importance of good hand hygiene to prevent the spread of infections.

Hands are one of the biggest spreaders of germs. Hand washing with warm water and soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent the spread of germs and infections. Studies show it lowers the transmission of diarrhoea and colds both at work and home as well as in NHS and other care facilities.

Every year, around 200 million people from 100 different countries take part in Global Handwashing Day. This year, NHS staff from across Northamptonshire have taken part in a locally produced handwashing video with a twist (Gangnam Style), which can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/embed/TGddyTW5eMc"

Jenny Boyce, Infection Prevention and Control Nurse for Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT), said:  "Thorough hand washing with soap is the simplest and most effective way to improve hygiene standards and limit the spread of infection.

"Preventing germs from circulating will help reduce the spread of flu, stomach bugs and other winter illnesses. By washing your hands with soap and water and regularly cleaning household surfaces, linen and towels you can significantly reduce the number of germs circulating and reduce your chances of getting ill.

“All local NHS staff are given mandatory infection prevention and control training and staff are reminded at every opportunity to wash their hands. Remember, if you are a patient or visitor, it is ok to ask a member of staff if you are in hospital to check that they have washed their hands.

“Global Handwashing Day gives us an opportunity to remind people just how important it is to clean your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, to protect not only yourself but those around you.”

Colds and flu

Don’t forget, if you do have a cold or flu, always use a tissue and cover your nose when you sneeze, and when you are finished with the tissue, dispose of it and wash your hands thoroughly. In other words:

Catch it – Germs spread easily. Always carry tissues and use them to catch your cough or sneeze.

Bin it – Germs can live for several hours on tissues. Dispose of your tissue as soon as possible.

Kill it – Hands can transfer germs to every surface you touch. Clean your hands as soon as you can.

As autumn sets in and winter approaches, it’s time for those at greatest risk from flu to protect themselves and their families, and get flu safe with a free flu jab.

Flu is a highly contagious infection that anyone can catch, and it can be a really serious illness for some. Those at greater risk from flu include people aged 65 or over, pregnant women, and those with health conditions such as severe asthma, chest or heart complaints and diabetes.

From October 2012, those people at most risk will be encouraged to get flu safe with a free flu jab from their GP. The NHS in England is launching the new Flu Safe campaign to remind people that they should get a flu jab. Flu Safe is a national message to highlight the importance of getting the jab, and carries facts about flu to dispel common misconceptions.

Professor Stephen Horsley, Director of Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire said: “Flu is not just a cold – it can be a really serious illness for some people and it doesn’t just affect older people. If you’re pregnant, have lowered immunity or a long term health condition such as severe asthma, a chest or heart complaint, or diabetes then you should also get a free flu jab from your GP and get flu safe. The flu jab is safe, and it can’t give you flu.”

NHS Nene CCG is encouraging everyone in the area who knows anyone who may be at risk from flu to tell them how important it is that they get protected. People who are carers and frontline health and social care staff are also encouraged to get a free jab to protect themselves and those around them.

The flu vaccine changes every year to fight the latest strains of flu, so even if you had a jab last winter you need another one this year to stay flu safe. The jab doesn’t contain the ‘live’ virus so it cannot give you the flu.

Professor Horsley added: “Flu can increase the risk of developing more serious illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and can make existing conditions much worse. Flu can knock you off your feet and make it hard to look after the kids or go to work. In the most serious cases, seasonal flu might land you in hospital - it can even be a killer.

“If you’re in any of the at risk groups, the flu jab is completely free and is a safe way of protecting you and your family in a matter of minutes.”

The best time to be vaccinated is at the start of the flu season from October to early November, so it’s good to get in early and get flu safe in time for the winter.

Simply contact your GP to arrange a convenient appointment and get your jab. It’s quick, safe and free for those most at risk from the virus.

For more information, speak to your GP or visit our flu pages.

A local man who was diagnosed with bowel cancer earlier this year is encouraging people to attend “The Big Bowel” roadshow this weekend in Northampton.

Weston Favell shopping centre will play host to an 8 metre long inflatable colon on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th October. The roadshow is part of a campaign by NHS Northamptonshire aimed at increasing awareness of bowel cancer, as well as encouraging people to take part in bowel screenings.

Mike Holton, 55, of Blisworth, Northants, was diagnosed with bowel cancer earlier this year. “These bowel roadshows are an excellent idea. Bowel cancer is a subject people don’t want to talk about, but having lighthearted campaigns like these grabs people’s attention, and then hopefully, bowel cancer can be up there in the public’s mind as much as breast cancer is. If we can make the symptoms known, we can potentially save lives.”

“I cannot stress enough that if people are concerned they need to contact their GP. Early diagnosis saves lives, so if you notice anything happening – if you have looser or bloody stools – please go to your GP. It might not be anything to worry about, but it’s ten minutes of your time, and it could save your life. Don’t die of embarrassment.”

Bowel cancer, the cancer of the large bowel, is the second biggest cancer killer, and it affects 33,000 people every year in England - the majority of which occurs in people over the age of 55.

The local campaign is part of a national initiative which aims to increase public knowledge of the symptoms of bowel cancer and encourage them to talk to their GP if they are concerned.

Symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
• Blood in your poo (stools/faeces) or bleeding from the rectum
• A change to normal bowel habits that persists for more than six weeks, such as diarrhoea, constipation or pooing more frequently than usual
• Abdominal pain
• Unexplained weight loss

Anyone who is experiencing bowel problems should contact their GP.

The Big Bowel will be at Weston Favell Shopping Centre between 08:00 – 17:00 on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th October. For more information about bowel cancer, visit www.talksooner.co.uk or to discuss bowel screening call 0800 707 60 60.

Some patients have been given more choice and control over their healthcare in the last two years as Northamptonshire has been taking part in the National Personal Health Budget Pilot.

Personal Health Budgets (PHBs) aim to give patients control over health budgets to arrange and manage their own care.

Gill Ruecroft, Project Lead for the Northamptonshire PHB pilot, said: “During the pilot we have successfully trialled personal health budgets for some mental health service users and people eligible for continuing healthcare in Northants and we are now looking to replicate this success in these and other areas.

“A personal health budget is an amount of money to support a person's identified health and wellbeing needs, planned and agreed between the person and local GPs and NHS staff."

In Northamptonshire, PHBs will be available by the end of 2012 for anybody eligible for continuing healthcare and work is under way to make them available in the future for people with a long term condition.

Dr Matthew Davies, GP Long Term Conditions Lead for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Through our work with mental health service users Nene CCG has already demonstrated the effectiveness of personal health budgets. I am always looking at ways of supporting patients to manage their long term conditions, and PHB puts patients firmly in the driving seat.

“A short video has been produced from the patients’ and staff’s experience during the pilot to explain to the public, patients, GPs and other health professionals the benefits of PHB and how it can work here in Northamptonshire.”

The video illustrates real patients who have benefited from a personal health budget to improve their quality of life and wellbeing through managing their own needs, with the agreement and support of NHS staff.

Northamptonshire was a pilot site for Personal Health Budgets for a small group of mental health service users, and has already been featured in a national report by the Audit Commission for the way we are introducing Personal Health Budgets. The report is entitled ‘Making Personal Health Budgets Sustainable’ and says that the purpose behind the use of PHBs is “to increase LTC self management and move care into the community and closer to home and reduce the need for visits and admissions to hospital.”

Northamptonshire PHB Pilot site’s video shows how Personal Health Budgets can help you to get the NHS care that you think will improve your quality of life and give you what you need. You can view it here
 

During October, NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging smokers in the county to take part in the first ever mass quit attempt launched by the Department of Health, called Stoptober.

To coincide with the campaign, there will be recruitment events happening across Northamptonshire [see table below] to encourage smokers to take part. At these events there will be access to Carbon Monoxide monitoring, a will power test and visuals such as ‘a jar of tar’ to help raise awareness of the risks of smoking as well as the benefits of quitting.

Studies show that if you can stop smoking for 28 days you are five times more likely to stop smoking altogether. Stoptober leads smokers through a detailed step-by-step programme to help them achieve this goal.

Pam Berry, Public Health Manager at NHS Northamptonshire, said, “Smoking is the biggest cause of premature death in England, and each year it accounts for over 80,000 deaths in the UK. 68% of smokers say they do want to quit, but only 38% actually make an attempt. There are almost five million attempts in England to quit each year, but only around 7% actually succeed. This campaign gives people the drive and support they need to quit and stay smokefree.”

The campaign includes a preparation pack, 28-day Quit Calendar and a Health and Wealth wheel. Smokers will also receive support and encouragement through a daily messaging service, inspiration from celebrity mentors and expert advice through a Smartphone app and motivational text messages.

Gail Addison of Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Stop Smoking Service said, “Stoptober is a great opportunity for Northamptonshire’s smokers to quit smoking for good. We want all smokers, who sign up to Stoptober, to contact our free NHS stop smoking service. We’re here to help support you when you set your quit date and continue to support you for the entire 28 days of Stoptober to make sure they reach your goal.”

Stoptober begins on Monday 1st October and runs for 28 days. For more information and to join the biggest stop smoking challenge of its kind, visit www.smokefree.nhs.uk/Stoptober or click here for advice on staying smokefree. Alternatively, Northamptonshire’s Stop Smoking Service on 0845 601 3116.

Stoptober Recruitment Events Schedule

To coincide with the National Know your Numbers campaign organised through the Blood Pressure Association UK charity, NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is reminding people to get their blood pressure checked.

It is advised to visit your local pharmacy to get your blood pressure checked for free on a regular basis to ensure you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

According to the charity, 1 in 3 adults in the UK have high blood pressure - around 16 million people. Of that group 5 million have no idea they have a problem.

Known as the "silent killer", high blood pressure rarely has obvious symptoms. Around 30% of people in England have high blood pressure but many don't know it. If left untreated, high blood pressure increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The only way of knowing there is a problem is to have your blood pressure measured. All adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every five years. If you haven’t had yours measured, or you don’t know what your blood pressure reading is, ask your local pharmacy or GP to check it for you.

From 10-16 September 2012, Blood Pressure UK will have over 1,500 ‘Pressure Stations’ across the UK offering free blood pressure checks.

To find your nearest free check, click here

For more information on blood pressure, the symptoms, causes and treatment, click here 

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging members of the public to attend this year’s NHS Northamptonshire Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The event takes place on Thursday 27th September at NHS Northamptonshire, Francis Crick House, Summerhouse Road, Moulton Park, Northampton. The event starts at 5pm and is scheduled to finish at 7pm.

The AGM is an opportunity to look back on some of the successes and highlights of the past year and to discuss with you future plans for the NHS in Northamptonshire in light of the current NHS reforms. NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group will outline their vision for the future commissioning of health services and there will also be an opportunity for you to pose questions to members of the Board

The event is open to all, however spaces are limited, so if you would like to confirm your attendance, email AGM@northants.nhs.uk by Wednesday 19th September. Any questions or issues that you wish to be raised should also be sent to that address.

A Clinical Summit held by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on Elderly and Frail patients has been a great success.

The event, held at Kettering Conference Centre, aimed to improve the quality of care for the elderly and frail patients across the county, by transforming and coordinating the way health and social care professionals work together with the patients, their carers and families.

Issues explored included how to manage important issues like loneliness, healthy ageing, falls and dementia services and crisis intervention. It was attended by 70 clinicians and social care professionals from around Northamptonshire.

The summit also included a key note speech from Professor Ian Philip, CBE who is an international expert on healthy ageing and cares of the older person and provided expert advice to the attendees.

Dr Darin Seiger, GP Chair of NHS Nene CCG said, “Today’s event was a fantastic opportunity for all of the key people that work with some of the most valued and vulnerable members of our society to come together and agree on how we can provide the highest quality of care in the future that they quite rightfully deserve. We have already developed nationally recognised and award winning services in the last 2 years such as the community elderly care services and we need to continue to build on these areas of excellence.

“The summit has been a great success and we have embarked on a challenging and ambitious plan to implement these changes as quickly as possible.”

Are you planning to take advantage of the bank holiday weekend to do some much needed jobs around the house? The NHS in Northamptonshire is reminding local people of all the services available if a DIY disaster does occur. 

Local pharmacies will be open over the bank holiday weekend to offer expert medical advice. Click here to view the bank holiday weekend rota. If more help is required you can call the out of hours GP service on 03336 664 664.

If the weather is sunny and you are cooking on a barbecue, take doctors’ advice to prevent you and your guests experiencing nasty after-effects – sickness and diarrhoea. 

Gastroenteritis is an infection of the stomach and bowel.  It’s very common and around one in five people are affected by the condition in England every year. If you are cooking on a barbecue two main risk factors are undercooked meat and spreading germs from raw meat onto food that’s ready to eat. The safest option is to cook food indoors using your oven. You can then put the cooked food outside on the barbecue for flavour. 

Most cases of gastroenteritis are mild and will get better within a few days without the need for treatment. Health leaders believe more than 51 million people a year who visit their GP with common complaints could either care for themselves or visit their local pharmacy for help and expert medical advice.

 For more information on bank holiday NHS services, including pharmacy rotas, go to www.askyourself.org.uk

Elderly patients are benefiting from a new pilot care home nurse scheme to help look after people living in residential and nursing care. The aim is to work with the care home supporting the management of their long term condition and reducing the need for hospital admission.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (Nene CCG) has commissioned an advanced nurse practitioner to visit care homes in the East Northamptonshire locality and ensure the most vulnerable patients are getting the additional support they need.

Deborah Graham, an experienced nurse who has worked in the East Northamptonshire community for 12 years, was appointed to the new role in May 2012, and is employed by Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, Nene CCG’s provider partner for the scheme.

Deborah is working with 22 care homes across East Northamptonshire, identifying residents who have increasing health needs. She is working with the individual, the care home, GP, social care and the patient’s family to develop a health care plan that aims to reduce the need for hospital admission.

Deborah said: "A big part of my role is to make sure we collaborate with everyone involved in the residents care to improve overall health and wellbeing. Not only does this help avoid hospital admissions, it also helps ensure the patient receives care in their preferred place.

"I have access to all the community nurses and other specialist teams so if I am not totally able to deal with a patient myself, I will know someone who can. In some cases we do still need to send patients to hospital, but where possible we are able to care for very poorly patients within their familiar surroundings."

On a typical day, Deborah will receive most of her calls in the morning, and these are triaged and other health care professionals are involved where necessary.

Deborah added: "The patients I see are those who are acutely unwell, are having problems with their long term condition or may be at end of life. Care home staff are expert in recognising when a patient needs a review. The common conditions I treat include urinary tract infections, chest infections, and underlying anaemia’s and even the common cold.

"I carry out a number of investigations and prescribe the treatment and advice they need. I plan and follow individual care plans, agreed with the patient, their family, care home and GP. I can also arrange training and support for the patient and their carers to help them manage their condition as well as possible including liaison with the community pharmacist around medication issues.

"As well as having access to community nurses and other specialists I can contact Community Psychiatric Nurses for those with mental health needs including dementia."

Another part of Deborah’s role is helping to ensure patients wishes are respected at the end of their life, including ensuring the patient remains in their preferred place of care during the last days of their life.

Dr Glyn Williams, GP Chair for East Northamptonshire Locality for Nene CCG, said: "We are delighted with the success of the care home nurse pilot in East Northamptonshire so far, and the improvements in the quality of care for some of our most vulnerable patients."

"Last year there were 531 hospital admissions from care homes in East Northamptonshire at a cost of £1.4m. Of these, 11% (61) were patients at the end of their life, transferred from the care home to hospital.

"National research shows that around 70% of patients would prefer to die at home but the reality is that 60% of patients are still dying in hospital. Since the role started in May, we have ensured that 13 patients at the end of their life were able to pass away in the comfort of familiar surroundings (the care home) and according to their wishes, rather than being transported to hospital." 

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (Nene CCG), the organisation which will be taking on responsibility for purchasing the majority of health services in Northamptonshire from April 2012, has been nominated for four national awards.

The National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) has shortlisted Nene CCG for its Vision Awards which take place in October, in the following categories:

1. Most Advanced CCG

2. Best Patient Engagement Initiative

3. Best Care Closer to Home (End of Life)

4. Best Efficiency Innovation (Care Home Advice Pharmacists)

The announcement follows Nene being featured in a national report, Clinical Commissioning in Action, two weeks ago.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene CCG, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted for the NAPC Awards, which we have won on previous occasions.

“The fact we have been shortlisted for all these categories shows that we are leading the way in terms of commissioning high quality health services that are already making a huge difference to patients lives, and moving care closer to home.

“We are also committed to continual public engagement and patient involvement in shaping our services.”

Background to our award nominations:

Most Advanced CCG
As an organisation, Nene has been commissioning health services since 2008, when it was first established as a Practice Based Commissioning GP consortium. Nene has won several NAPC awards in the past, including Most Advanced Practice Based Commissioning Consortium for two years running in 2008/09 and 2009/10. Nene has also been recognised by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley for the work we have done. We are the 5^th largest CCG in the country.

Best Patient Engagement Initiative
Nene has been nominated in the Patient Engagement category for our Shaping Nene work, in which we engaged with 1500 people face to face and 10,000 people that we had existing relationships with, culminating in our launch conference on 29^th May 2012, attended by around 300 people.

Best Care Closer to Home (End of Life)
Our End of Life service was commissioned after extensive public engagement, and as part of a national drive to improve choice for terminally ill patients over preferred place of death. Research shows that nationally, 70% of people say they would prefer to die at home, whereas in reality around 60% of people are still dying in hospital. The End of Life service has already reduced those dying in hospital by 9% by providing a support network of health, social care and voluntary organisations such as Age UK and Macmillan.

Best Efficiency Innovation (Care Home Advice Pharmacists)
Finally, the Care Home Advice Pharmacist (CHAP) scheme has been a great success, reviewing the medication of 1660 often frail elderly patients and ensuring they have the most appropriate prescriptions, saving around £188,000 in the three years since the scheme was first instigated. Everything the team does is in partnership with the patients, their family, care home staff and their GP.

The awards take place in Birmingham on 30 October 2012, and for further details, go here

Access to health services for vulnerable patients is being improved with regular drop in clinics.

Patients including homeless, sex workers, and those with drug and alcohol addiction problems, can access the clinics, which are being funded by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group's  (CCG) Northampton Central Locality.

The drop-ins are held on Wednesday mornings and Thursday mornings and afternoons and include access to a GP, nurse, and support for those with mental health, drug and alcohol addiction problems.

The clinics are held at Oasis House, a new purpose built multi-agency centre that brings together health, housing and education and training, so that there is a one stop shop for people who sometimes struggle to access the support they need.

Daniel Kane, Business Manager at Maple Access practice, which provides the drop in clinics on behalf of Nene CCG, said: "The demand for the services provided by Maple Access has really grown over the last ten years, from around 50 patients when it was first set up, to the 5,500 patients we currently see.

"The clinics really help vulnerable people to access health services and combined with other services at Oasis House, can really help people get their life back on track.

"As a practice, last year we spent £20,000 on A&E attendances, so it is hoped that by making health services more accessible to these patients it will also have an impact on A&E admissions."

Neville Pettit is a Mental Health Nurse who has worked with many local vulnerable groups and been involved with the Hope Centre (where services now based at Oasis House were previously delivered) for more than 25 years.

Neville said: "The drop in sessions are quite intense, but very rewarding.

"It does make a big difference having all the services under one roof and now there is a GP and nurse going down there regularly the patients can get their prescriptions there and then without having to go elsewhere. There is a dedicated medical room and we have access to patient notes now as well. There really should be something like this in every community."

Dr Kamal Sood, GP Chair for Northampton Central Locality for Nene CCG, said: "I am very proud that our locality is able to be associated with the work that goes on at  Oasis House and the Maple Access Partnership. They have made such a difference to people who are often seen as being on the fringes of society and who may feel there are social barriers to mainstream healthcare."

Alongside Nene, other partners involved with Maple Access and Oasis House are Northampton Borough Council, Northampton Hope Centre, Hope Enterprises, N.A.A.S.H (accommodation support), and Midland Heart (housing and care provider).

In addition to the medical room at Oasis House, there is are 39 self contained 'move on' apartments to help those trying to get back into mainstream housing, 9 emergency access units for those in crisis, arts and crafts room, I.T. suite, training, meeting and interview rooms, and a courtyard garden.

For those interested, training is provided in a range of subjects from catering to IT, and via Hope Enterprises, users of Oasis House are also able to become involved in business ventures.

Special NHS athletes are heading out across Northamptonshire to remind people not to Bolt to A&E but to remember the pentathlon of other services available to them.

The ‘athletes’ from Northamptonshire will be in town centre’s and other locations during the Olympics giving people the opportunity to become a Choose Well champion and have their photo taken with some famous faces. They will also be handing out information on treatment options including Self care, NHS Direct, Pharmacy, GP Surgeries and Minor Injury Units.

Chris Gomm, campaign coordinator at NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "The Olympics are a fantastic reminder of the capabilities of the human body, however, we all suffer injuries and fall ill. Our athletes are out and about reminding people of the NHS services they have available to them while at the same time giving the whole family the opportunity to have their photo taken with some famous faces."

As part of the Olympic Choose Well promotion key messages are being promoted through Facebook and Twitter as well as through NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire’s Choose Well website www.askyourself.org.uk

The athletes will be in the following locations: 

Northamptonshire:

• Wednesday 8^th August: 11am to 4pm - High Street, Corby
• Friday 10^th August: 12pm to 7pm - Abington Street and Gold Street, Northampton
• Saturday 11^th August: 10am to 4pm – High Street, Kettering
• Sunday 12^th August: 11am to 4pm – Weston Favell Shopping Centre

Work has started on a brand new state of the art building for patients at a local GP practice.

The new Queensway Medical Centre in Wellingborough is being built on the site of the old Eagle pub on Queensway, close to local shops and pharmacy.

The building is expected to be complete by April 2013. NHS Northamptonshire is working with the practice to facilitate the development of this new building.

Dr Andrew Wainwright, GP at Queensway Medical Centre, said: "This new surgery will deliver state of the art facilities for our growing patient population and provide a welcoming and accessible health centre for the local community.

"We aim to provide an environment for patients which is modern, fit for purpose, and able to accommodate the growing local patient population.

"I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in this project – all the staff at the practice, the primary care contracting team and others at the PCT, the architects and builders."

Peter Arnold, Chair of Queensway’s Patient Participation Group, said: “At long last we are going to have a dreamed for medical centre. It will be more modern and more convenient, and it is something we have wanted for many years.”

Neil Boughton, Head of General Practice and Offender Health at NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, said: "We are very pleased to have been able to support and work with the practice to bring this project to fruition."

The new centre is being designed by Maber Architects Leicester with input from Curtins Consulting, and the main contractor is Hallam Contracts Ltd. The Employer’s Agents for the scheme are Edward Cooper Young Chartered Surveyors.

Paul East, Associate Director, Maber Leicester says "Working collaboratively with the practice managers, consultants and doctors throughout the design process has enabled us to develop what will be an inspiring and welcoming environment for the community and one which meets the challenging requirements of all the end users".

John Hallam, Managing Director of Hallam Contracts, said: "Hallam Contracts are delighted to be working with the partners of Queensway Medical Centre on this exciting new development. We are experienced at working with the NHS and healthcare trusts and understand need to deliver a functional, future proof building within tight budgetary constraints."

Dr Roger Perry, GP Chair for Wellingborough locality for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group said: "I welcome the development of this new surgery for patients in Wellingborough and I look forward to working closely with the practice."

Pictured (left to right) are: Carol Brown, Dr Andrew Wainwright (Senior Partner at Queensway), Lesley James (Senior Locality Manager for Wellingborough, NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group), Carol Willis (Practice Manager), and Peter Arnold, Chair of Queensway's Patient Participation Group.

Summer is finally here and while this is a cause for celebration for many people, for others the hot weather can be potentially lethal.

Local GPs are urging people to stay safe in the sun and look after the most vulnerable during this heatwave.

Dr Judith Dawson, GP Urgent Care Lead for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "While most of us enjoy the warm weather, too much exposure to heat and sun can be very dangerous, so it is essential that people know how to stay healthy during the heatwave.

"All of us need to stay safe in the warm weather, by drinking plenty of water, wearing the right sun protection factor, and not spending too much time in the direct sunlight.

"But there are some groups who are especially vulnerable to the heat, including the elderly, people with breathing problems, and children, so it is essential that we all do our bit to help keep both ourselves and others safe in the sun. If you are a parent or carer for a child, or if you know a vulnerable older person, please ensure you keep an eye on them during this very hot spell. Others at risk include people with mobility problems, those with serious mental health problems, and people on certain medications.

"The hot weather poses all kinds of potential risks, including dehydration, overheating, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. But there are a number of ways you can cope better with the hot weather and prevent yourself from becoming unwell."

Sun safety – top tips

• Stay out of the sun especially between 11am and 3pm (the hottest part of the day) if you are vulnerable to the effects of the heat.
• Drink cold drinks regularly, such as water and fruit juice. Avoid tea, coffee and alcohol
• Have cool baths or showers
• Wear loose, cool clothing and a hat if you go outdoors
• If you are out in the sun, use a high sun protection sun cream, at least factor 15, the higher the better. However, no sunscreen, whether it’s factor 15 or 50, will give the protection it claims unless you apply it properly, and no sunscreen can give 100 per cent protection. Sunscreen can easily be washed, rubbed or sweated off so re-apply it frequently.
• Check up on friends, relatives and neighbours who may be less able to look after themselves

You can download the Department of Health’s leaflet Heatwave - looking after yourself and others during hot weather here. 

The organisation taking over responsibility for purchasing health services for the majority of Northamptonshire from April 2013 has been recognised in a national report on best practice in healthcare commissioning.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (Nene CCG) is among the 12 CCGs featured in the report entitled Clinical Commissioning in Action. The report has been jointly published by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC), the NHS Alliance, and the NHS Confederation.

The CCGs featured have been chosen for work they have undertaken to make a difference to patients already, before they become statutory organisations in April 2013. According to the report: "Even before authorisation, many clinical commissioners are already demonstrating their potential to make a real difference to patients and communities.

"This document, which we hope will serve as an inspiration throughout the NHS, presents case studies from up and down the country where clinical commissioning did just that."

Nene CCG is featured for the project to train nurses in Kettering to provide minor injuries treatment at GP practices. The scheme aims to reduce pressure on A&E services and encourage local patients in the Kettering area to use services appropriately in a more convenient setting, closer to their home. Many injuries seen would include sprains, cuts and grazes, but some would require further investigation. Practice nurses are able to order x-rays, avoiding patients needing to see a GP and speeding up the process.

Dr Raf Poggi, GP Chair for Kettering Locality for Nene CCG, said: "There is a lot of collaboration between practices. Patients who are in a practice which doesn’t offer this will be able to access a practice that does. Changes like this which have made a huge impact on patient care can be made very quickly just by engaging the right people."

You can access the Clinical Commissioning in Action report here

The NHS is working on lots of ideas to try to make it easier for you to get the NHS care that you think will improve your quality of life and that you feel you need.

This video clip will help you understand personal health budgets in more detail. It illustrates real patients who have benefited from a personal health budget to improve their quality of life and wellbeing through managing their own needs, with the agreement and support of NHS staff. You will also hear from Gill Ruecroft, Northamptonshire Personal Health Budget Project Lead and Dr Matthew Davies a local GP who is leading on testing new ways of supporting patients to manage their long term conditions.

For further information on Personal Health Budgets please contact Gill Ruecroft, Northamptonshire Personal Health Budget Project Lead on 01604 651121 or email gill.ruecroft@nhs.net

There is also more information on the Personal Health Budgets section of the Nene website.

VIDEO CLIP

Inherited blood conditions such as Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, but help is available here in Northamptonshire.

July is Sickle Cell Awareness Month and in Northamptonshire, the two clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group (Nene CCG) and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group (Corby CCG), recently commissioned a full time counselling service for patients with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, alongside NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group.

Both Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia are inherited diseases or haemoglobinopathies, which arise when both parents are “carriers” of the abnormal gene. The combination of each abnormal gene from the father and mother has a one in four chance of resulting in the birth of an affected child in every pregnancy.  There is also a two in four chance the baby will be a carrier, which should have no impact on health, and a one in four chance that the newborn’s blood will be completely normal.

Jenny Neal, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Counsellor said: “There are around 6 cases babies affected with a significant haemoglobin disorder such as Sickle Cell disease every year in Northamptonshire. Once a patient is diagnosed with one of the condition, I visit them to talk them through the diagnosis and develop a care plan with them to help them manage their condition as best as possible. Babies are usually diagnosed by the new born blood spot screening test.

“The counselling service complements the National Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme, which is offered to all pregnant women and partners of identified carrier mothers. I work at both Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. As part of the service, I offer specialist advice and support to all pregnant women offered screening for Sickle Cell, Thalassaemia and other significant haemoglobin variants.

“Many people with haemoglobin disorders have to be hospitalised for pain management, transfusions, and surgery to deal with complications such as enlarged spleens and gall stones. However, evidence shows that more proactive patient management  through support to identify and avoid known ‘triggers’ of illness and sickle crisis could reduce the need for the more complicated hospital management.

“It is important that fathers get themselves tested for both Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia and I am working with my community midwife colleagues to encourage and promote this. We can also offer sibling testing if one child has either of these disorders. For mothers to be, the best time to screen is at around ten weeks of pregnancy but people can be tested at any time.

“I also aim to educate health professionals and the wider community about the conditions and how best to manage them and to ensure any families new to the area are aware of the available services. I have recently given training to Health Visitors and Midwives on looking after babies and pregnant mothers with these conditions. I am very happy to hear from others who want to know more about both Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia.

“The service also aims to encourage awareness and the testing of residents in the community to enable ‘carriers’ to make informed decisions about their future reproductive options early. Linking to both the newborn and antenatal screening programmes, the service also provides support to those diagnosed to have regular health checks.”

The Northamptonshire service has been developed in line with recommendations from the East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group and the National Haemoglobinopathies Project, and it is estimated that improvements in the coordination and delivery of care could reduce up to 5% of inpatient non-elective admissions related to haemoglobinopathies.

More information on Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia

Sickle Cell

Sickle Cell disease is the result of an inherited abnormality in the red blood cells, resulting in blood cells that ‘sickle’ and change shape irreversibly when they are low in oxygen. The Sickled red cells obstruct the flow of oxygen-bearing blood to the body’s major joints and internal organs, and when this occurs , the individual –commonly referred to as a ‘sickler’ – is said to be in ‘crisis’. The condition is most prevalent amongst black Caribbean, black African and black British people.

Thalassaemia
In Thalassaemia, the white cells and platelets are normal, but the red cells are small and too few in number, leading to a form of anaemia. This results in individuals with the severe form of thalassaemia getting tired very easily, and needing frequent blood transfusions to remain healthy.

Further details are on the NHS Choices website. 

For more information on support available locally, you can contact Jenny Neal, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Counsellor, on 01604 544333 or email jenny.neal@nhs.net

With schools breaking up for summer holidays NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group is reminding families of the health services available in the area.

Cuts, bruises, bumps and grazes are some of the most common occurrences when children are off school, most of which can be treated by self-care. It’s vital to make sure you choose the most appropriate NHS service to ensure your family receives quick and convenient treatment. Here are our top tips for the summer holidays:

1. Where possible, self care and remember you can always seek advice from NHS Direct which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0845 46 47, or alternatively you can visit NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk

2. Don’t forget you can also speak to your local pharmacist, who can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints

3. Injuries that give more cause for concern such as sprains, strains, minor burns and wounds can be treated at:

- Northampton General Hospital’s Minor Emergency, plus treatment for minor illnesses like stomach upsets and ear infections. Minor Emergency is located next door to Northampton General Hospital’s A&E department and shares the same opening hours as Accident and Emergency

4. You can see a doctor or nurse every day between 8am and 8pm at the Lakeside Plus Walk-in Centre in Corby (same address as the Minor Injury Unit).

5. If it’s an emergency and you need care after hours, call the Northamptonshire Out of Hours Service on 03336 664 664. The service is available from 6.30pm - 8am on weekdays and 24 hours a day at weekends.

6. When the sun is shining, remember to wear a hat and light, loose-fitting clothes and drink regularly - even if you do not feel thirsty. Water or fruit juice are best

7. Remember to put on your sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15 – the higher the better. However, no sunscreen, whether it’s factor 15 or 50, will give the protection it claims unless you apply it properly, and no sunscreen can give 100 per cent protection. Sunscreen can easily be washed, rubbed or sweated off so re-apply it frequently.

8. Accident & Emergency (A&E) is only for the most urgent care such as serious accidents or medical emergencies.

Dr Judith Dawson, Urgent Care Lead of NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group said: "We want to help families stay healthy and enjoy their summer holidays. If you do get ill or sustain an injury you can get quick and convenient treatment from minor injury units, GP practices, pharmacies and through self care leaving A&E free for the most serious cases."

For more information on the range of options available, go to the Choose well website.

An initiative aimed at ensuring patients in care homes are getting the right medication has made a big difference to quality of patient care in its first three years.

The Care Home Advice Pharmacist service was introduced in December 2008 by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, the organisation that takes over responsibility for purchasing health services for the majority of Northamptonshire from April 2013.

The idea behind the pilot was to work with vulnerable patients to review the medication they were on and ensure that they were receiving the most appropriate treatment.

Dr Judith Dawson, GP Lead on Care Homes for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group said: "As a result of the pilot, three senior pharmacists were appointed and between December 2008 and April 2012, the team visited a total of 44 care homes, undertaking 1660 medication reviews, and making 5451 suggestions based on these medication reviews.

"This review equates to roughly three suggestions per patient reviewed and of these, 85% have been agreed by the GP.

"Many of the patients in care homes in Northamptonshire are frail and elderly and it is absolutely vital that we ensure they are receiving the best possible treatment that is clinically appropriate to their needs. NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group is committed to working in partnership with local care home providers to ensure local patients get high quality and safe care and that this is continually reviewed and improved on an ongoing basis.

"Over the course of the three years, 1225 drugs were stopped, 1,450 drugs were changed and 134 new drugs started.

"Many of the drugs stopped were those commonly associated with admission to acute care, for example drugs that are known to increase the risk of falls, and all anti-psychotics were reviewed in line with the recent Call to Action by the National Dementia Alliance."

As well as improving care for patients, the review has also saved around £188,300 on the prescribing budget.

Improving quality of care for care home residents continues to be a high priority in Northamptonshire. A number of care homes in the county are receiving training thanks to a grant from the East Midlands Health Innovation and Education Cluster (HIEC) thanks to a submission by NHS Northamptonshire’s Care Home Quality Team and we recently held our first ever Care Homes Excellence Awards in partnership with the Care Home Quality Monitoring Team to recognise and celebrate good practice.

Northamptonshire also has the Nene Care Homes Board, a sub-group of the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Partnership, which brings together health and social care and care home providers in one forum to ensure there is partnership working.

In addition, there are a number of projects taking place in Nene’s Locality areas working with local care homes. Nene has eight localities based on geographical area and each of these has a GP Chair and a Senior Locality Manager. Projects to drive up standards in care homes include:

East Northamptonshire: Recruitment of a Senior Nurse who will work specifically with care homes in the district to ensure patients are both getting the care they need and reduce hospital admissions.

South Northamptonshire: Plans to increase the number of community nurses working with vulnerable elderly and reduce hospital admissions.

Northampton Central and Northampton West: GP will visit care homes in Northampton Central locality on a regular basis in a similar way to ‘ward rounds’ at hospitals. This has already been taking place in the Northampton West locality and has so far proved successful.

Kettering: A pilot scheme was launched in which an advanced nurse practitioner carried out daily ward rounds at nursing homes. Based on the learning from this scheme the locality is now implementing a Senior GP case management programme across all practices and care homes in the locality. The aim is for GPs to work closely with the Care Homes Advice Pharmacists Service in the locality.

Wellingborough: A pilot scheme has been launched in which an advanced nurse practitioner carried out daily ward rounds at nursing homes. The scheme was a success and the locality is now planning to implement fully across all care homes in the area.

Daventry: Plans for an integrated case management team to work with patients that have a higher risk of being readmitted to hospital – this could include care home patients. The team will include Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Mental Health Nurses, Community Nurses, GPs and Social Care staff.

Northampton East and South: To ensure that medication in care homes is used efficiently, that patients are getting the correct medication, and to reduce wastage, a Prescribing Advisor has visited care homes to review all prescribed medication that residents were taking. A Dietitian has also reviewed the use of sip feeds (food substitute) and advised when it would be appropriate to modify residents’ diet instead.

Click here to find out about the Dementia Alliance’s ‘Call to Action’.

Pictured are (left to right), Nazareth House care home manager Julie Pullen, resident Chris Pateman, and Nene's Care Home Advice Pharmacist Najma Momen.

A new self-management pilot project has been launched for patients in the Northampton Central and Northampton West areas.

The service, which was launched to coincide with Breathe Easy Week (18-24 June 2012), is for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), symptoms of which include difficulty breathing, inflamed lungs, and excessive mucus production.

GP Dr Kamal Sood, GP Locality Chair for Northampton Central for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "COPD is a serious illness and can have a devastating impact on sufferers and their carers. We want to share with patients who suffer from COPD the necessary tools to manage the condition themselves as much as possible, so that they can live as normal a life as possible and reduce the need for COPD related hospital admissions.

"With the self management approach, at participating practices, if you have COPD, you will be invited to meet with the Practice Nurse to discuss your COPD and how to manage your symptoms, and to develop your personalised COPD Self-Management Plan. If you are registered with a practice in the Northampton Central or Northampton West localities, this service is available.

"Additionally, there is a local support group for patients with COPD called Easy Breathers who are happy to welcome new members. It is also important to emphasise that the best way to prevent yourself developing COPD is to give up smoking, which you can do with support from the NHS Northamptonshire Stop Smoking Service. At least four out of five people who develop COPD are, or have been, smokers, and it is estimated that between 10 and 25% of smokers go on to develop COPD."

Larry Mann, Chair of Easy Breathers support group, said: "I am very pleased that this new service has been launched because it is really important that people with COPD learn how to manage their condition to stay as healthy as possible."

COPD causes breathing problems for sufferers and causes their lungs to become inflamed due to irritation, usually from cigarette smoke.

Over many years, the inflammation leads to permanent changes in the lung. The walls of the airways get thicker in response to the inflammation and more mucus is produced. Damage to the delicate walls of the air sacs in the lungs means the lungs lose their normal elasticity. It becomes much harder to breathe, especially when you exert yourself. The changes in the lungs cause the symptoms of breathlessness, cough and phlegm associated with COPD.

For information on the COPD Self-Management Project, talk to your GP practice. If you want more information on Easy Breathers, the local support group for people with COPD in Northampton, call Larry Mann, Chair of the group on 01604 638433 or 07719 141975. You can also visit their website here.

For help giving up smoking, call 0845 6013116 or click here.

You can also call the British Lung Foundation Helpline on 0300 0030 555 click here. 

Practices covered by the scheme are as follows:

Northampton Central:  Abington Medical Centre, Abington Park Surgery, County Surgery, Crescent Medical Centre, Greenview Surgery, King Edward Road Surgery, Maple Access Partnership LLP, The Mounts Medical Centre, Park Avenue Medical Centre,

Northampton West: Clarence Avenue Surgery, Delapre Medical Centre (with site at Whitefields), Harlestone Road Surgery, Kingsthorpe Medical Centre, Langham Place Surgery, Leicester Terrace Health Centre, The Pines Surgery, Whitefields Surgery.

What is free, available anywhere at any time on tap, and will give your child the best possible start in life?

Breastfeeding will give your children a stronger immune system, improve bonding between mother and child, and reduce the likelihood of your child becoming obese or developing type 2 diabetes.

It is Breastfeeding Awareness Week and NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, in conjunction with NHS Northamptonshire Public Health, and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group, wants to remind local people of the benefits of breastfeeding, and the support available. There is now a Breastfeeding Specialist Service which supports mothers with drop-in sessions in Corby, Northampton and Higham Ferrers.

Dr Emma Clancy, GP Children’s and Maternity lead for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Here at NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group we are keen to promote the advantages of breastfeeding, which really does give your child the best start in life.

"Breast milk is free and natural and will give your baby all the nutrition they need for the first six months of their life.

"Many mums feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public, but the good news is that legislation is now on the side of breastfeeding mums. The Equality Act 2010 made it illegal to ask a breastfeeding woman to leave a shop, café or public transport. If babies are hungry, they will ask to be fed, wherever they are - whether this is at home, in the supermarket, or at the park."

Marie McLoughlin, Public Health Specialist for NHS Northamptonshire, said: "We also know that motherhood is a difficult time particularly the first time around, and sometimes new mums can find it difficult to bond. Another advantage of breastfeeding is that it really helps mums to bond with their babies. But we recognise it is not easy – breastfeeding is a learnt skill and some babies may need time and encouragement to breastfeed effectively.

"The NHS has a wealth of support available to mums including midwives and health visitors and support is also available via voluntary organisations and local Sure Start Children’s Centres."

Other health benefits of breastfeeding include:

• Breastfeeding protects your baby from many different infections and diseases, particularly in the first year
• It has a positive long-term impact on health - the baby will have less likelihood of becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes and other illnesses both in childhood and later in life
• Breastfeeding lowers a mother’s risk of getting breast and ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis in later life
• Breastfeeding naturally uses up to 500 calories a day.

The Breastfeeding Specialist Service provides the following drop-in sessions every week:

For more information on breastfeeding, click here or call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212.

It’s Carers Week and in Northamptonshire alone, there are an estimated 70,000 unpaid carers. They are thought to save health and social services around £120bn a year nationally.

Carers can be young or old and can be anyone from sons or daughters to parents or siblings, friends or neighbours. They could be looking after someone who needs their help in their day to day life, either because of their age, a long-term illness, a disability, mental health problem or substance abuse. Many people who are carers do not even identify themselves as carers.

A week of activities was kicked off with a launch event at the Nuffield Gym, Walter Tull Way, Sixfields, Northampton on Monday. The event is being attended by carers, representatives from Northamptonshire Carers charity and NHS staff. There will also be an event at the Balance Gym in Kettering on Tuesday 19^th June attended by 26 carers, with a range of activities including zumba. The theme of Carers Week this year is ‘In Sickness and in Health’. Click here for a full list of activities. Pictured below is a group of carers having a Pilates class at the Carers Week launch yesterday.

Here in Northamptonshire, we have the GP Carers Assessment Support Workers (CASW) Service which is jointly commissioned by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group and Corby Healthcare. The service is provided by local charity Northamptonshire Carers. This was originally launched as a pilot scheme in 2010 in 23 practices before being rolled out across the county in 2011 to all GP practices. The CASW team is pictured below.

Dr Asif Akram, who won the GP Supporting Carers category at the Jane Roebuck Carers Awards earlier this year, said: "I am delighted that the service has now been recommissioned for a further three years, which is excellent news for carers and their loved ones.

"We see carers, and the Carers Support Workers as an extension of the practice and it is vital that we continue to give carers the support they need.

"That is why Carers Week is so important, to help us highlight not only the valuable unpaid work that carers do but also the support that is available to them in Northamptonshire."

Mark Major, Director of Northamptonshire Carers, said: "Carers own health can often suffer as a result of providing ongoing care for the people they look after.

"In Northamptonshire there are a number of initiatives that encourage carers to take a break from their caring role, such as support groups, gym memberships, opportunities to take a holiday and carers’ cafes.

"Time out from the caring role is vital, and we are very pleased to see that the Government will be including new rights for carers around these issues in the forthcoming White Paper on the future of Social Care."

Click here for more information about support for carers available in Northamptonshire. You can also go to the Northamptonshire Carers website here for more information about the vital work carried out by this charity.

Carers can also contact the Carers Support Line on 01933 677907 or email carers@northamptonshire-carers.org

Carers Week is organised by a partnership of 9 national charities: Age UK, Carers UK, Crossroads Care, Dementia UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, MS Society, Parkinson’s UK, and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers. Click here for more information on Carers Week.

It’s Diabetes Week, a national event which aims to raise awareness of the disease and support those who have it.

There are an estimated 3.7 million people in the UK living with diabetes, with 30,000 of these in Northamptonshire. This figure is expected to rise to 46,000 by 2025. It is thought that there are currently thousands of people with the condition who are undiagnosed.

Dr Matthew Davies, Long-term conditions lead for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Diabetes is something that many people live with and unlike some conditions, it is one that will affect them for the rest of their life, so it is always important that awareness is raised about the symptoms and effects it has.

"It is estimated that just over 4% of the population have diabetes, and while this figure is not very high, it is on the rise due to people not eating healthy and keeping active. So this week can help in promoting a healthier lifestyle with better diet and exercise."

Diabetes means the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot use it properly. The main symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes can include:

•           Passing urine more often than usual, especially at night

•           Increased thirst

•           Extreme tiredness

•           Unexplained weight loss

•           Genital itching or regular episodes of thrush

•           Slow healing of cuts and wounds

•           Blurred vision

If you notice any of the above symptoms contact your GP. Early diagnosis, treatment and good control of diabetes can help to reduce the chances of developing serious diabetes complications. More information on Diabetes is available on the NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire website here or the NHS Choices website here. 

A new service has been introduced to the county that will assess people’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The diabetes risk check identifies those with Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT), and aims to prevent it from developing into type 2 diabetes - which is a high risk for those with IGT. The service is jointly commissioned by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Corby Clinical Commissioning Group, who are taking over responsibility for purchasing health services for the county from NHS Northamptonshire from 1 April 2013.

In Northamptonshire alone, there are 30,000 people with diabetes. This figure is expected to rise to 46,000 by 2025. The annual cost of treating one person with Diabetes is £700, so the overall cost would be £32m.

Dr Matthew Davies, long term conditions lead for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "The new Diabetes risk check programme will identify those aged 40-74 who are 'at risk' of developing Diabetes. It is estimated that this new health check will identify around 542 patients per year.

"This new service should stop around 4% of those with IGT taking part from going on to develop Type 2 Diabetes. This will not only improve people’s health, it will also save the health service money in the long run."

The new service is available in the community as well as at GP practices. It is hoped to significantly reduce the number of people in the county contracting diabetes by working with local health professionals and by using methods such as interactive group education sessions. Sessions will include:

• Magnetic Man - An interactive session that will help people understand the effects of diabetes on various organs and functions of the body. This includes what happens when you eat food, signs and symptoms of diabetes, causes and effects of diabetes, and treatments.
• Healthy eating session – This will look at the effect of food and drink choices, and identifying hidden fat, sugar and calories.
• Breaking barriers – Focusing on recognising factors that prevent people from changing their behaviour and adopting a healthier lifestyle.
• Goal setting and care-planning – Helping people to commit to making changes to their lifestyle, developing a plan, identifying support and how to access this.

More information on Diabetes is available at http://www.miltonkeynes-northamptonshire.nhs.uk/diabetes/

The launch of NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, the organisation which will take on responsibility for purchasing health services for the majority of people in Northamptonshire, was a great success.

Just under 300 people attended the all-day event at Northampton Saints Rugby Football Club, Franklins Gardens, Northampton on Tuesday 29 May 2012 including patients, members of the public, carers, voluntary organisations, NHS staff and other stakeholders.

There were presentations from Dr Darin Seiger, Chairman, and Ben Gowland, Chief Executive, as well as Councillor Robin Brown, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care at Northamptonshire County Council, who spoke about the new Health and Wellbeing Board. There were also break out discussion groups for each of the eight Nene locality areas, and the findings from our public opinion surveys were presented. The top three health priorities from these surveys were cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "This is an exciting time for the NHS. Changes to the way services are commissioned and who makes these decisions mean that it is timely for us to meet with public to find out what people’s priorities are. Nene Commissioning is at the forefront of these changes and we want to take you on the journey with us.

"I would like to thank all those who attended our event and helped make it such a great success."

Click here for more information about the conference, including all presentations from the day, case studies, and the summary version of our Integrated Strategic Operating Plan which sets out our priorities.

A very special and very unofficial Queen has been travelling across Northamptonshire ahead of the Diamond Jubilee to remind her subjects about the health services available in the area and promote NHS Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire’s Jubilee Health Guide. 

The unofficial tour is the subject of a viral video depicting Her unofficial Majesty and the unofficial Duke of Edinburgh interviewing various healthcare professionals from in and around Northamptonshire. It’s part of the Choose Well campaign which encourages people to use alternative health services to accident and emergency departments.

The unofficial Queen said, “One must choose well to ensure one receives quick and convenient medical treatment. There are ways of dealing with one’s ailments other than using the emergency services.”

Heidi King, Head of Social Marketing,  NHS Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire said, “We are always looking for new ways to encourage people to use the different health services available in the county, and as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is coming up the video seemed like a great way to promote Choose Well and our Jubilee Health Guide to a younger audience.”

The Jubilee Health Guide has all the health informa tion you’ll need for the Jubilee weekend, including where you can go when feeling unwell, staying safe in the sun and alcohol advice. It can be found here.

Click here to view the video.

NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group has joined forces with Northamptonshire County Council to launch a schools education programme designed to tackle mental health stigma. The event, that took place at Abbeyfield School in Northampton, was attended by over 60 representatives from local secondary schools and colleges and Michael Ellis MP.

The ‘Talk out Loud’ education programme, that was shortlisted for a Health Service Journal Award in 2011, has been created to help young people within Northamptonshire tackle mental health stigma within their school or college, it has already been successfully trialled in three Northampton schools.

Aimed at secondary school pupils, the programme has been producedto educate young people on mental health problems and the issues associated with them, whilst also informing them how and where they can get help and support. It enables young people to challenge their own perceptions of mental health and encourages them to take responsibility for tackling the inequalities and stigma that young people with mental health problems experience. The education programme culminates with the creation of an action plan to tackle mental health stigma for their school / college.

Also at the event, Abbeyfield students involved in the Northampton Talk out Loud pilot unveiled a banner, that will be displayed outside the school, inviting people to tackle mental health stigma.

Judith Cattermole, Nene Commissioning and Northamptonshire County Council joint commissioner said: "Through our work with young people, their parents, carers, teachers, youth workers and health professionals we have seen time and time again the negative effect that mental health stigma can have on children and young people. We need set an example by talking about the issue openly and candidly and ensure everyone can access the support and information they need. Through genuine participation a powerful, interactive and sustainable education programme has been created that has been written by young people for young people. Through the trials that we have already undertaken in school we know that the pack will have a really positive impact and contribute greatly to reducing mental health stigma."

Jordan Bullock, just one of the young people involved in the development of the Talk out Loud education programme said "At the start of our journey we didn’t have a true understanding of what mental health was and the stigma around it. We have learnt that we all have mental health and mental health needs. It’s just that some of us can meet our own needs and others need help or support – and that’s ok. Mental health is everyone’s business and it’s our business to change people’s views and perspectives to reduce mental health stigma."

The Jubilee bank holiday is just around the corner, and NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire wants to help you make sure you have everything you need to keep well.

In particular, we are encouraging people to use their local pharmacy as a source of health information and advice, and to make the most of them before bank holiday closures.

Mukesh Lad, Chair of Pharmacy Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Local Pharmaceutical Committee), said: “Bank holidays are always very busy for the local health service so it’s important to remind patients of the services that are available, and the things they need to do to prepare.

“For example, patients with long term conditions are advised to get their repeat prescriptions ready well ahead of the bank holiday.

“It is also vital that patients know about their local pharmacies, what the opening times are and what services can be offered.”

Pharmacies provide services such as:

• Dispensing medicine – including how to use and dispose of them safely
• Emergency contraception such as the “morning after pill” is available from your local pharmacy
• Providing advice for minor ailments such as conjunctivitis, cystitis, impetigo, and more without you needing to see a doctor
• Advising on the correct medicine for flu and colds that’s right for you and your family

Remember that there are alternatives to the emergency services including minor injuries units, out of hours services or self-care at home, and that accident and emergency departments should only be used in serious circumstances.

Alternatively, patients can call NHS Direct for help and advice - it operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 0845 46 47.

For more information, visit www.askyourself.org.uk.

Pharmacy rotas for the bank holidays can be found here.

Patients in Wellingborough and surrounding areas will soon benefit from a new local service to treat minor injuries and other health problems.

Work on a new community walk-in health centre at Isebrook Hospital in Irthlingborough Road, Wellingborough is being led by NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group.

The new medically led service, which will be open seven days a week, from 8am to 9pm, will also provide easier access to xray services, observation bays, pathology (bloods) and other services closer to home. It will also provide better integration of a range of health and social care services on one site, including community nursing, physiotherapy, health visiting, mental health services and alcohol services, along with the Community Elderly Care Service.

Dr Roger Perry, GP Locality Chair for Wellingborough for NHS Nene Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We are committed to providing quality services for local patients to ensure they receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“There are less car drivers in Wellingborough than in other parts of the county and access to health services can be more difficult, with patients currently having to travel to either Kettering or Northampton General Hospitals.

“We hope that by providing better services closer to home, we can improve the health of Wellingborough residents and also reduce admissions to hospital, leaving A&E staff to deal with more acute, serious injuries and illnesses.”

A refurbishment will take place initially of the Howard Johnson Therapy Unit at Isebrook with a full redevelopment in the longer term.

Minor injuries that can be treated at the site will include sprains, strains, wounds, and minor illnesses. There are also planned to be observation bays for both adults and children.

Early detection of cancer and raising awareness that it is a largely preventable disease provide the main focus for this year’s Cancer Prevention Week, an annual event supported by Nene Commissioning.

In 2008 alone, there were 309,500 people diagnosed with cancer, with the most common types in adults being breast cancer, melanoma (skin cancer), bowel and cervical cancer – but many of these can be diagnosed and treated if detected early.

Saqib Mirza, a cancer lead for Nene Commissioning, said: "Early diagnosis saves lives – many cancers are treatable if caught early enough, and the chances of survival are much higher. For example, a late diagnosis of lung cancer can mean only seven out of 100 will be alive at 5 years after diagnosis, as opposed to 80 out of 100 alive at five years if the cancer is diagnosed early."

Our ongoing campaign, DETECT (Diagnose Early to get Effective Cancer Treatment), aims to recruit members of the public to become DETECT ‘champions’ and is a great way to increase awareness during Cancer Prevention Week. A DETECT ‘champion’ helps to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer within their community and encourages them to attend screenings. Potential DETECT champions will be able to talk to friends and family about cancer symptoms, distribute promotional material, and host events to raise awareness in the local community.

Many organisations are getting involved with Cancer Awareness Week by taking part in Fruity Friday today (18th May), where those involved wear yellow and encourage eating healthier with more fruit in their day-to-day diet. For more information, click here 

Cancer Prevention Week is run each year by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), a charity which gives support and advice to organisations around the world about cancer. To find out more about the DETECT campaign, or to sign up to become a champion, click here. 

Have you thought about what you would like to happen when you die, and more importantly, have you discussed it with your loved ones?

It’s Dying Matters Week (14 – 20 May 2012) and Nene Commissioning is working with the rest of the local NHS to improve choices for patients at the end of their life.

Dying Matters is a national campaign which aims to help people talk to their loved ones about end of life care and what happens when they die – including aspects such as making a will, organising a funeral, and preferred place of death.

Here in Northamptonshire, following discussions with GPs, patients and other health professionals, a range of services have been developed to ensure patients, where possible, have improved choice about how they spend the end of their life. Services now include:

• A 24/7 central point of contact where care is coordinated.
• A nurse led rapid response service providing home based care within an hour of referral
• End of Life nurses in both Kettering and Northampton hospitals to support end of life discussions with patients and their family, and facilitate timely safe discharge home where this is the patients expressed wish.

Research shows that around 70% of people would prefer to die in their own home, but the reality is that around 60% still die in hospital. The end of life service aims to reduce the proportion of people dying in hospital by 9.7% by 2013. The service is already well on its way to achieving this aim as between 1 April 2011 and 31 January 2012, there was a 9.32% reduction in the proportion of deaths occurring in hospital.

There has also been a 26% reduction in excess hospital bed days experienced by those at the end of their life, compared to the previous year.

Dr Matthew Davies, End of Life GP lead for Nene Commissioning, said: "In addition to choice of place of death, it is also important that adults at the end of their life should receive appropriate, high quality care from services and support that focuses on their individual needs and that of their carers.

"Many of us have specific wishes about how we would like to die, or what we would like to happen after our death, but unless we discuss these with family, friends and health professionals our wishes may not be met. With one person in the UK dying every minute, dying, death and bereavement is simply too big an issue for us not to discuss properly.

"The theme of this year’s Dying Matters Week is 'Small Actions – Big Difference'. By taking small actions such as writing a will, signing up to become an organ donor or looking out for those who have been recently bereaved, we can all help make a big difference to ensuring people can live well and die well."

Click here for more information.

NHS Football style referees will be hitting the streets this weekend in towns across Northamptonshire handing out red and yellow cards. However they will not be penalising bad behaviour but reminding people of the health services that are available to them.

To coincide with this weekends FA Cup Final the referees will talk to people in shopping centres and pubs handing out cards reminding them of two quick & convenient sources of urgent medical advice pharmacies and the GP Out of Hours service over the bank holiday and beyond.  

Heidi King, Campaign Co-ordinator on behalf of Nene Commissioning, said: ‘Many people don’t realise that your local pharmacy are experts on medicines and can offer medical advice and assistance on a range of issues without the need to see a Doctor. In addition, if you are concerned about someone's health this weekend you can call a GP to get quick and convenient medical advice when your GP surgery is shut and save yourself a trip into A&E.

We are always looking for new ways to talk to the public about health services and we hope the referees will be a fun way to talk to football fans. ’

Pharmacies can provide a range of health services including treatment for minor ailments such as prescription treatments for conjunctivitis, cystitis, impetigo, cough and flu remedies as well as provide the morning after pill.

The GP Out of Hours service is available across Northamptonshire at night, on weekends and bank holidays. As well as offering the core service you would expect from your GP, the can also help treat minor injuries such as cuts, sprains and strains, broken bones (fractures), splinters, bites and stings, infected wounds, minor bumps to the head, minor eye infections, foreign bodies and scratches, minor burns and scalds, and nose injuries. They can be contacted on 03336 664 664.

For more information about the GP Out of Hours service and to find your local pharmacy visit www.askyourself.org.uk.

The referees will be in Daventry, Kettering, Northampton, Towcester and Wellingborough between 13:00-17:00 on Saturday 5 May.

A Northamptonshire GP who took part in the London Marathon to raise awareness of Ovarian Cancer and encourage local women to get tested early has raised £7,000 so far.

Dr Victoria Barber, GP at Parklands Surgery in Rushden, took part in the event on Sunday 22 April and completed it in 5 hours and 20 minutes. Dr Barber decided to do the event with two aims – to raise money for the Target Ovarian Cancer charity, and to raise awareness of a new early testing service to improve the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer among women in Northamptonshire.

The blood test, known as Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) is recommended for use by GPs in the assessment of patients with frequent abdominal or urinary symptoms that might indicate ovarian disease. Patients with a positive test will then be referred for pelvic ultrasound which can detect early changes in the ovaries or help rule out a diagnosis of cancer. The service is now available at both Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hosptial NHS Trust. It is jointly commissioned by Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare.

The cause is also very close to Dr Barber’s heart because her mother Val Barber, of Geddington, was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer in 1998 and has had courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy over the past three years.

Dr Barber said: "I am absolutely delighted to have raised this much for such an important cause, and I really enjoyed taking part in the Marathon.

"Nationally, 6,500 women are diagnosed each year with ovarian cancer, and of these, sadly 4,400 women lose their lives every year.

"We need to ensure more women are diagnosed at the earliest possible stage to improve survival rates so I am doing all I can to help raise awareness. We hope that improved access to the test will help save more lives in Northamptonshire."

There are currently between 50 and 60 cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in Northamptonshire every year. Of these, only 25% are diagnosed in the earlier, more treatable stages (organ only). It is hoped that the new service, launched in late 2011, means up to 50% of diagnoses will be made in the earlier stages, potentially saving a further eight lives per year.

Among those who have taken the CA-125 test recently in Northamptonshire is Marjorie Sanders, of Wymington. Ms Sanders had the test in November 2011 and was then referred for an ultrasound. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to undergo an operation in January. Ms Sanders is now undergoing chemotherapy and has completed three chemo sessions out of six.

Ms Sanders said: "Vicki is doing a brilliant job of promoting awareness of ovarian cancer and I really would urge people to go to their doctor if they have any concerns.

"I know that cancer is a scary thought but you should not be frightened of going to your doctor. Because I had this test I am fortunate, they caught the cancer early on and my treatment is going really well – things are looking really positive so far. Even the chemotherapy does not affect me as much as I thought it might. The most important thing is to stay positive - most of the time I live my life as normal, and I walk about 4 or 5 miles every day. There is just one day a month when I feel very tired, usually about 4 days after I have the chemo."

Ovarian cancer symptoms are:

- frequent – they usually happen more than 12 times a month
- persistent – they don’t go away
- new– they are not normal for you and may have started in the last year

The signs to look out for are:

- persistent pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
- increased abdominal size/persistent bloating –not bloating that comes and goes
- difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
- urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual)

Occasionally there are other symptoms:

- changes in bowel habit
- extreme fatigue (feeling very tired)
- unexplained weight loss

Dr Barber added: “If you regularly experience any of these symptoms, which are not normal for you, it is vital that you see your GP. In most cases the symptoms are not caused by a serious problem, but it is important to get checked out.”

Click here for more information on Target Ovarian Cancer. 

To make a donation or to sponsor Dr Barber’s marathon, click here. 

• Please note that ovarian cancer cannot be diagnosed on a smear test – if your smear is normal, you could still potentially have ovarian cancer.

Event at Northampton Saints Rugby Ground on Tuesday 29^th May 2012 from 9.30am to 3pm

Members of the public are invited to register for an event about the future of healthcare in Northamptonshire.

The ‘Shaping Your Healthcare Services’ event has been organised by Nene Commissioning, the new organisation which is responsible for purchasing health services for the majority of Northamptonshire, and will take on full responsibility for this in April 2013, along with Corby Healthcare.

The public conference marks the beginning of a new and exciting time which sees local GPs and health practitioners working with the public to shape the future of healthcare.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: "This is an exciting time for the NHS and changes to the way services are commissioned and who makes these decisions mean it is timely for us to meet with public to find out what people’s priorities are. Nene Commissioning is at the forefront of these changes and we want to take you on the journey with us."

The event includes:

• Health related exhibition stands
• free health checks, advice and information
• interactive activities
• presentations from Nene, GPs, and other health professionals
• feedback we have already received from the public about healthcare priorities
• information on the future of healthcare commissioning

Click here to register for the event, or alternatively you can call 01604 651160 or email launch.nene@nhs.net 

With the Easter holidays upon us, the NHS in Northamptonshire is reminding everyone of the health services available in the county. Cuts, bruises, bumps and grazes are some of the most common occurrences when children are off school, most of which can be treated by self-care.

It’s vital to make sure you choose the most appropriate NHS service so additional pressure is not put on our busy hospitals, so here are our top tips for a healthy Easter:

1. Where possible, self-care and remember you can always seek advice from NHS Direct which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 0845 46 47, or alternatively you can visit NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk.

2. Don’t forget you can also speak to your local pharmacist, who can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaints. Click here for their Easter rota.

3. Injuries that give more cause for concern such as sprains, strains, minor burns and wounds can be treated at:

• Corby Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) is open 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 9am-6pm on weekends and Bank Holidays. Willowbrook Health Complex, Cottingham Road, Corby NN17 2UW. Tel: 01536 400600.
• Northampton’s Minor Illness and Minor Injury Unit (MIaMI) offers the same services as the Corby Minor Injuries Unit, plus treatment for minor illnesses and injuries like colds and flu, stomach upsets and ear infections. MIaMI recently relocated and is now next door to Accident and Emergency at Northampton General Hospital. It shares the same opening hours as Accident and Emergency.

4. You can see a doctor or nurse every day between 8am and 8pm at the Lakeside Plus Walk-in Centre in Corby (same address as the Minor Injury Unit).

5. If it’s an emergency and you need care after hours, call the Northamptonshire Out of Hours Service on 03336 664 664. The service is available during between 6.30pm and 8am and 24 hours a day at weekends and bank holidays.

6. When the sun is shining, remember to wear a hat and light, loose-fitting clothes, drink regularly - even if you do not feel thirsty – water or fruit juice are best, and avoid excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks.

7. Remember to put on your sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15 – and the higher the better. However, no sunscreen, whether it’s factor 15 or 50, will give the protection it claims unless you apply it properly, and no sunscreen can give 100 per cent protection. Sunscreen can easily be washed, rubbed or sweated off so reapply it frequently.

8. Accident & Emergency (A&E) is only for the most urgent care such as serious accidents or medical emergencies.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning said: “We know that the Easter holidays are traditionally a busy time for the health service, and we need to ensure that people make themselves aware of the alternative services that are available.

“If you use the right service, this will not only save you time but also ensure that the busy staff at A&E can concentrate on treating the most serious cases. In 2010/11, around 65,000 people who attended A&E in Northamptonshire were sent away without requiring any treatment, at a cost of approximately £3.4m. In most instances, there are a range of alternative services you could use, from minor injury units to walk in centres, GP and pharmacy, that may suit your needs better.”

For more information on the range of options available, click here to go to the Choose well information.

A pilot service set up to support carers in Northamptonshire is to be extended for a further three years.

The GP Carers Assessment Support Worker (CASW) service was launched in 2010 as a pilot with 23 practices, before being rolled out across the county in 2011.

The service is provided by Northamptonshire Carers and the contract for the service was due for renewal this month. The two Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for Northamptonshire – Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare – are pleased to announce that funding has now been approved to continue this service for the next three years.

The service has gone from strength to strength, and in January the second annual Jane Roebuck Carers Awards were held in Northamptonshire. This year for the first time there was a category of GP practice supporting Carer of the Year award.

Mark Major, Director of Northamptonshire Carers, said: “We are absolutely delighted that both Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare have decided to continue the CASW service, not just for one year, but for the next three years. In the short time since the service was launched it has made a real difference to the lives of carers across Northamptonshire.”

Although less than two years old, the CASW service is now well established and health professionals including GPs recognise the importance of and value of the service.

Dr Asif Akram, of Greens Norton Medical Practice, Towcester, who won the GP practice supporting Carer of the Year award, said: "We see carers and the Carers Support Workers as an extension of the practice and it is vital that we continue to give carers the support they need."

The CASW team can provide support for anyone who is:

- caring on a regular basis for a partner, friend, neighbour or other relative who is:
- physically or mentally ill
- has a physical or learning disability
- has a drug or alcohol problem
- is elderly

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: "Carers are an integral partner for us in the local health service and it is essential that we give them our support. One in ten people are carers, and it is estimated that carers in Northamptonshire provide around £599m unpaid care every year."

Dr Peter Wilczynski, Chair of Corby Healthcare, said: "The GP CASW service focuses on working with local GP practices because it is recognised that carers do not easily self identify, and that staff in GP practices are in one of the best possible positions to know when someone is, or is about to become, a carer."

Carers can contact the Carers Support Line on 01933 677907 or email carers@northamptonshire-carers.org

More information for carers is available at Who Looks After You or Northamptonshire Carers websites.

A campaign to help protect vulnerable people in cold weather has been a great success.

Wrapped Up was a joint initiative between NHS Northamptonshire, Age UK, Serve, Northamptonshire Community Foundation and Nene Commissioning. Northamptonshire was awarded £250,000 as part of a national £20m scheme.

A total of 20 events have taken place and our outreach workers across the county have spoken to more than 450 people face to face. So far there have been more than 2,000 hits to the Wrapped Up website.

Events were held at libraries, community and shopping centres and people were given information about the support available for vulnerable people, including older people and those with long term health conditions, on how to keep safe and warm.

In 2010, there were 253 excess winter deaths so agencies in the county are working to identify those most at risk and ensure they benefit from the scheme.

Councillor Robin Brown, county council cabinet member for health and adult social services said: “We are pleased to have been able to support this scheme to help vulnerable or older people stay well during winter.”

Age UK Northamptonshire’s Chief Officer, Liam Condron said: "Cold weather and fuel poverty can cause misery, avoidable illness and even death for too many older people, leading to distress and adding to the workload of healthcare providers.

“We were delighted to welcome the Wrapped Up scheme which enables local authorities to work alongside charitable and community organisations to help to keep vulnerable older people well during winter and ease the strain on local NHS services.”

Professor Stephen Horsley, Director of Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire, said: “In Northamptonshire alone, there are 48,000 people aged 75 or over and 632 people who are homeless or sleeping rough. Around 13% of our households are elderly people living on their own, with 11.5% of households living in fuel poverty. It is essential that we provide all the support we can to help ensure these people are kept safe and well.”

What support is there?

Winter packs on how people can keep warm and well and a publicity drive to signpost vulnerable people to the helpline and other support were distributed during mid February-March at local libraries by outreach teams, providers such as Age UK, SERVE and Northants Warm Homes will also have stock.

The winter packs are for those most at risk, they includes; thermometers, service providers information and a practical checklist to ensure you or someone you care about is warm this winter. The campaign encourages local residents to check and ensure that vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives in high risk groups are looked out for this winter.

Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley said:

"Severe winter weather is a real threat to vulnerable people. People are more likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes, respiratory illnesses can get worse, and there is the risk of falls on slippery ground.

“Every vulnerable person needs help in winter, whether it’s help with shopping, heating the home or making hot meals. We asked councils to come up with innovative ideas to look after their communities and have made £20 million available to fund their plans. I welcome how local authorities, together with charity partners like Age UK and the Community Foundation Network are putting support networks in place.  This funding will equip those services to respond to needs and emergencies.

For further information about the support available or to get your winter well kit call 0300 126 1000, 8.00am-6.00pm Monday to Friday or click here.  

March is Ovarian Cancer Month and a local GP from Nene Commissioning is going the extra mile to raise awareness of both the condition and the new early diagnosis service available in Northamptonshire.

A new service was recently launched across the county to improve early diagnosis of cancer, with the ultimate aim of saving more lives. The blood test, known as Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) is recommended for use by GPs in the assessment of patients with frequent abdominal or urinary symptoms that might indicate ovarian disease. Patients with a positive test will then be referred for pelvic ultrasound which can detect early changes in the ovaries or help rule out a diagnosis of cancer.

The service is now available at both Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hosptial NHS Trust. It is jointly commissioned by Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare. There are currently between 50 and 60 cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in Northamptonshire every year. Of these, only 25% are diagnosed in the earlier, more treatable stages (organ only). It is hoped that the new service, launched in late 2011, means up to 50% of diagnoses will be made in the earlier stages, potentially saving a further eight lives per year.

Among those who have taken the CA-125 test recently in Northamptonshire is Marjorie Sanders, of Wymington. Ms Sanders had the test in November 2011 and was then referred for an ultrasound. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and had to undergo an operation in January. Ms Sanders is now undergoing chemotherapy and has completed three chemo sessions out of six.

Ms Sanders said: "I know that cancer is a scary thought but you should not be frightened of going to your doctor. Because I had this test I am fortunate, they caught the cancer early on and my treatment is going really well. Even the chemotherapy does not affect me as much as I thought it might. The most important thing is to stay positive - most of the time I live my life as normal, and I walk about 4 or 5 miles every day. There is just one day a month when I feel very tired, usually about 4 days after I have the chemo."

Dr Victoria Barber, a GP at Parklands Surgery in Rushden, is running the London Marathon to raise funds for the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, and raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis. Dr Barber has also recorded podcasts for Target Ovarian Cancer, in conjunction with the British Medical Journal to raise awareness. Dr Barber’s mother Val Barber, of Geddington, was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer in 1998 and has had courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy over the past three years.

Dr Barber said: "Nationally, 6,500 women are diagnosed each year with ovarian cancer, and of these, sadly 4,400 women lose their lives every year. "We need to ensure more women are diagnosed at the earliest possible stage to improve survival rates so I am doing all I can to help raise awareness. We hope that improved access to the test will help save more lives in Northamptonshire.

"It is vitally important that women are aware of all the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer, even though in many cases they may be something less serious. Target Ovarian Cancer Month plays an essential role in raising the profile of this terrible disease."

Ovarian cancer symptoms are: frequent – they usually happen more than 12 times a month persistent – they don’t go away new– they are not normal for you and may have started in the last year.

The signs to look out for are:
- persistent pelvic or abdominal pain (that’s your tummy and below)
- increased abdominal size/persistent bloating –not bloating that comes and goes
- difficulty eating or feeling full quickly urinary symptoms (needing to wee more urgently or more often than usual) Occasionally there are other symptoms: changes in bowel habit extreme fatigue (feeling very tired) unexplained weight loss.

Dr Barber added: "If you regularly experience any of these symptoms, which are not normal for you, it is vital that you see your GP. In most cases the symptoms are not caused by a serious problem, but it is important to get checked out." More information on Target Ovarian Cancer Month is available here 

To make a donation or to sponsor Dr Barber’s marathon, click here.  Please note that ovarian cancer cannot be diagnosed on a smear test – if your smear is normal, you could still potentially have ovarian cancer.

Nurses in Kettering are receiving training to treat minor injuries as part of ongoing work to ensure patients receive care in the most appropriate setting, and reduce pressure on Accident and Emergency departments.

The training has been supported by Kettering Locality, part of Nene Commissioning, the new organisation which is responsible for purchasing health services for the majority of Northamptonshire.

Under the project, Nurses from most GP practices in the Kettering area are undergoing additional training to ensure they can provide treatment for minor injuries within the surgery setting itself. This means patients registered with a practice providing this service will be able to be treated rather than having to go to Accident and Emergency department at Kettering General Hospital, leaving their staff to be able to deal with the more acute, serious injuries. Once the service is established in practices there may be opportunities to refer to neighbouring practices, when patients cannot access this service in their own practice.

Jo McGivern, Nurse Practitioner at the Weavers Medical Centre in Prospect House, Kettering, is among those taking part in the training, which was coordinated by Claire Mee (Practice Manager from Headlands Surgery).

Jo said: "There are two versions of the training; one is an update for nurses who have previously had experience of treating minor injuries. The other is an intensive three day course for nurses who had not had prior experience of this. There is also a radiology course as in some cases we may need to send patients up to Kettering General Hospital for an X-Ray.

"Minor injuries can include anything from cuts and grazes, to sprains, strains splinters, minor head injuries and falls. We will work to strict national guidelines and if patients present with more serious injuries we will refer them on to Accident and Emergency.

"All of the nurses providing this treatment are experienced nurse practitioners and nurse prescribers, so this will provide an excellent service for patients in the Kettering area."

Dr Raf Poggi, GP Chair of the Kettering Locality for Nene Commissioning, said: "We are delighted to be able to offer this service in the Kettering area which is a very exciting development for local patients. We hope this will help people to continue to Choose well and use the right service in the right place at the right time."

Most practices in the Kettering area will be providing this service to their patients but how the service is delivered will vary between different practices. If you live in the Kettering area, contact your own GP practice to find out more about how the service will be available.

A series of events are taking place at venues across the county to give Nene representatives the opportunity to meet members of the public and find out their healthcare priorities. You will be given the opportunity to complete a survey and use our interactive ‘cool wall’ to tell us what you think. There will also be the opportunity to become a member of Nene.

• Monday 5th March from 12.00-4.00pm - outside Primark, Abington Street, Northampton NN1 2BH
• Saturday 10th March from 11am-3pm - Weston Favell Shopping Centre, Northampton NN3 8JZ
• Sunday 11th March from 11am-3pm - Sainsburys,  260 Northampton Road, Wellingborough NN8 3GZ
• Thursday 15th March from 3pm-7pm - Waitrose, Richmond Road, Towcester NN12 6HZ
• Saturday 17th March from 11am-3pm - Newlands Shopping Centre, Kettering NN16 8JA
• Saturday 17th March 10am-4pm - Swansgate Shopping Centre, Wellingborough NN8 1EY
• Saturday 24th March from 11am-3pm - Bowen Square, Daventry NN11 4DR

For more information and to become a member of Nene Commissioning, click here.

Now you can have more influence than ever before as the organisation that is taking on responsibility for purchasing the majority of health services in the county wants input from local patients on where the money should be spent.

Nene Commissioning takes over full commissioning responsibility from NHS Northamptonshire for most of the county from April 2013, along with Corby Healthcare for the Corby area. To help them decide, a series of events are taking place at community venues across the county, including shopping centres, to give representatives from Nene the opportunity to meet members of the public and find out their priorities. The aim is to engage with 10,000 people in Northants by the end of April 2012.

You will be given the opportunity to complete a survey and use out interactive ‘cool wall’ to tell us what you think. There will also be the opportunity to become a member of Nene.

Nene has 8 locality groups according to geographical area (e.g. Daventry, Wellingborough etc) and local NHS priorities will be agreed with input from local people. A Northampton area launch event is taking place at Weston Favell Shopping Centre on Friday 17th February from 12pm to 4pm and a series of other events are taking place across the county.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: “This is an exciting time for the local NHS. Changes to the way services are commissioned and who makes these decisions mean it is timely for us to meet with public to find out what people’s priorities are. Nene Commissioning is at the forefront of these changes and we want to take you on the journey with us.

“It is also a very challenging time for the NHS financially and therefore it is even more important that we ensure all resources are targeted appropriately.”

Senior Locality Manager for Northampton Central and Northampton West for Nene Commissioning, Caroline Capell, added: “The locality structure of Nene Commissioning also makes a big difference for local patients as it means local patients can influence what happens in their local area.

“We would also actively encourage people to join their GP practice’s Patient Participation Group as this is another way you can influence the NHS at a very local level. Your practice would love to hear from you."

Anyone who wants to find out more about joining Nene and influencing the future of healthcare can call 01604 651160 or click here.

You can also follow Nene on Twitter - @Nenecomm or check out our Facebook page here.

Look out for further details of events taking place in your locality over the coming weeks.

Northamptonshire has been awarded £250,000 for the new Wrapped Up campaign as part of a national scheme to protect vulnerable people during the cold winter months.

A joint bid was put in by NHS Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire County Council, Age UK, Serve, Northamptonshire Community Foundation and Nene Commissioning for our share of the £20m national pot available.

The aim of the project is to help vulnerable people, for example older people or those with long term health conditions, to keep warm and safe and prevent people needing to go to hospital during the winter months.

In 2010, there were 253 excess winter deaths so agencies in the county are working to identify those most at risk and ensure they benefit from the scheme.

Age UK Northamptonshire’s Chief Officer, Liam Condron said: "Cold weather and fuel poverty can cause misery, avoidable illness and even    death for too many older people, leading to distress and adding to the workload of healthcare providers.

"We are delighted to welcome the Wrapped Up scheme which enables local authorities to work alongside charitable and community organisations to help to keep vulnerable older people well during winter and ease the strain on local NHS services."

Dr Stephen Horsley, Director of Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire, said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this funding, which will help protect those who need it most during the cold winter months.

"In Northamptonshire alone, there are 48,000 people aged 75 or over and 632 people who are homeless or sleeping rough. Around 13% of our households are elderly people living on their own, with 11.5% of households living in fuel poverty. It is essential that we provide all the support we can to help ensure these people are kept safe and well."

Councillor Robin Brown, county council cabinet member for health and adult social services said: "We recognise that cold weather can be dangerous for older and vulnerable people and I am pleased we are able to support this scheme and help keep people safe.  We will be working in partnership to offer advice and support for those most at risk during the winter period."

What support is there?

Winter packs on how people can keep warm and well and a publicity drive to signpost vulnerable people to the helpline and other support will be distributed during mid February-March at local libraries by outreach teams, providers such as Age UK, SERVE and Northants Warm Homes will also have stock.

The winter packs are for those most at risk, they includes; thermometers, service providers information and a practical checklist to ensure you or someone you care about is warm this winter. The campaign encourages local residents to check and ensure that vulnerable neighbours, friends and relatives in high risk groups are looked out for this winter.

Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley said: "Severe winter weather is a real threat to vulnerable people. People are more likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes, respiratory illnesses can get worse, and there is the risk of falls on slippery ground.

"Every vulnerable person needs help in winter, whether it’s help with shopping, heating the home or making hot meals. We asked councils to come up with innovative ideas to look after their communities and have made £20 million available to fund their plans. I welcome how local authorities, together with charity partners like Age UK and the Community Foundation Network are putting support networks in place.  This funding will equip those services to respond to needs and emergencies."

Click here for further information about the support available or to get your winter well kit or call 0300 126 1000, 8.00am-6.00pm Monday to Friday. 

NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire is launching a hard-hitting TV ad campaign to encourage local people to think about how they use health services, as new research confirms that local people are still using A&E inappropriately.

In the ad, a series of patients with more minor problems have been to A&E. The hard-hitting ad ends with a thought provoking finale, which shows the potential consequences of too many people with minor problems attending A&E or calling ambulances. The ad will only be shown after the 9pm watershed, though it will also be available via social media such as youtube, facebook and twitter.

The ad is part of the ongoing Choose well campaign which aims to encourage local people to use health services more appropriately.

In support of the ad, a survey was recently completed in A&E departments over a typical week at both Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. More than 500 people were surveyed, and from the initial analysis, of these, more than 100 could have gone to their GP instead, and many more could have used a minor injury service.

Other findings from the survey show:

• Although 95% of the patients surveyed were registered with a GP, only 1 in 3 tried to contact them prior to attending A&E
• More than half of the patients had previously attended A&E within the last six months so there are clearly a large number of repeat visitors
• 100% of respondents could name at least 1 alternative to A&E, but more than half (54%) had not tried to contact them.

Heidi King, Head of Social Marketing for NHS Milton Keynes and Northamptonshire, said: "The purpose of the advert is to challenge people’s behaviour and open up the debate with local people on the use of A&E. The new survey confirms to us that we still have more work to do on educating people on the use of alternative services."

Dr Jonathan Ireland, Emergency Planning lead for the Northamptonshire Local Medical Committee, said: "Yet again this winter all the frontline health services from GP’s to Accident & Emergency have come under increasing pressure. The survey was done in response to this high level of demand in casualty departments to give an understanding of the choices the public make when they need help. Sometimes people would get a better service by accessing a different service. With the hard hitting 'Choose Well' campaign the idea is to help people to understand that they have a choice of services they can access and to make the best use of these resources.”

"The TV advert is designed to make people sit up and take notice, and think very carefully about how they use emergency health services. We want people to think; where can I go to get the right care at the right time?"

Click here to find out more about our Choose well campaign. 

Click here to view the film.

An enhanced alcohol treatment service is to be launched which aims to build upon the success of the current service to reduce admissions to hospital for alcohol harm and support patients more effectively in the community.

The Northamptonshire Partnership’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy has, over the past two years, supported improvements in health in the county. The Strategy is a partnership between NHS Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire County Council, and the voluntary sector. The strategy has also demonstrated that to improve alcohol treatment even further, it needs to be embedded in the community to ensure that all patients are supported post-treatment. We hope to continue to reduce the number of alcohol specific hospital admissions using the following methods:

• Providing more community based services to support patients with alcohol problems
• Integrating health services across the county

The county’s two Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare, are working with NHS trusts in Northamptonshire to develop the services.

The new service will replace existing alcohol services in the county and will include the following:

• Community based alcohol treatment packages
• Additional resources to provide mental health triage assessments in Accident and Emergency departments These will be carried out by a qualified Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN).
• Joined up approach to patient care to ensure clinicians have access to appropriate information and investing in IT infrastructure

NHS Northamptonshire invested £1,150,000 over the last two years after the county was ‘red flagged’ for alcohol harm in 2009. The rate of increase in alcohol related hospital admissions has reduced to 4% (from 17% between 2008/09 and 2009/10) and compared with a national rate of 8%.

Professor Stephen Horsley, Director of Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire, said: "Reducing alcohol harm is one of the top priorities for health services in Northamptonshire so this integration of community based alcohol treatment services within the county is really important. In 2010/11 there were 2,027 alcohol specific hospital admissions, costing the local NHS around £2.9m.

"Based on England average rates, if we do not do anything and the rate continues to rise, alcohol specific hospital admissions will cost the NHS in Northamptonshire an additional £1.4m by 2014/15."

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: "All GPs and nurses are really keen to help those patients who have both physical and mental health problems related to alcohol and we are confident that the greater integration of alcohol treatment services, will both reduce the number of people who frequently attend hospital through alcohol harm, and also help us to identify these patients earlier so that we can help them more effectively and efficiently.

 "We will do this by improving communication between the agencies involved, providing an integrated, multi-disciplinary team approach to managing patients, and improving patient outcomes through integrated care within the community."

Dr Peter Wilczynski, Chair of Corby Healthcare, said: “We hope that by having in place better community based treatement services, less people will have to be admitted to hospital for the more expensive inpatient treatment. Equally, by enabling mental health triage assessments within A&E, will ensure patients receive a more timely mental health assessment and a reduction in the number of days they stay in hospital.”

Click here if you are concerned about your alcohol intake or would like further information on the effects of alcohol.

NHS Northamptonshire, Nene Commissioning, Corby Healthcare, Northamptonshire County Council and the Department of Health are working together to ensure the funding assists the flow of patients through the health and social care system during this extremely busy period. But the pressures will remain as the initiatives are being introduced so the message is still the same – only go to A&E if you really need to be there – consider the alternatives.

A number of schemes totalling £1.4m have been agreed by the county’s clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and NHS Northamptonshire including:

• £130,000 on consultant emergency physicians at Kettering General Hospital to fund two additional consultants to work until the end of March to assist with winter pressure workloads
• £250,000 on consultants and nurses for the Accident and Emergency department at Northampton General Hospital
• Additional ambulance crews are being put in place to help respond to 999 calls and the expansion of HALO, the Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officers, who support ambulance staff on arrival at hospital
• Better access to GP services including additional out of hours GP support
• £50,000 for an enablement therapy scheme at Kettering General Hospital. This will mean extra therapy staffing to support patients who are awaiting discharge to a rehabilitation bed.
• Rapid response community nursing service in both Northampton and Kettering areas
• GP home visiting service in Corby, supporting patients who are well enough to stay at home with additional support. Home visiting may also form part of a patient’s community care plan, for patients who may otherwise have been admitted to Kettering General Hospital as a non-elective admission
• 11 Specialist care beds at Thackley Green Specialist Care Centre have been subcontracted to Corby Healthcare to use as 72 hour assessment beds for elderly, frail patients supported by the in-house team consisting of specialist GPs, community nursing (Intermediate Care) team and Consultant Geriatrician.

In addition, the Department of Health has made £1.7m available for Northamptonshire as part of a national £200m fund for local authorities. This is known as a Section 256 Agreement and makes available funding for councils to invest in social care services to benefit health, and to improve overall health gain.

This will support existing services aimed at improving arrangements for discharging patients from hospital, supporting re-ablement and post-discharge support, which will also help avoid readmissions to hospital.

Additionally, patients who are clinically ready to be discharged from hospital into a care home will be transferred to the first available care home until their care home of choice becomes available. This means that those patients who are ready to move on will be cared for in the most appropriate setting and that patients who need urgent care in an acute hospital setting will be able to receive that care. A letter giving assurance to patients is now being issued, jointly signed by John Parkes, Chief Executive of NHS Northamptonshire, and Charlie MacNally, Director of Adult Social Services, Northamptonshire County Council.

In common with the rest of the East Midlands NHS area, hospitals and the ambulance service across Northamptonshire have been extremely busy over the festive period as we would expect at this time of year.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: "We welcome this additional funding, which will assist us in our goal of ensuring patients receive the best possible care in the most appropriate setting.

 "There have been enormous pressures on the whole health system in Northamptonshire throughout this winter, in common with the rest of the NHS, and it will take time to solve these issues but this funding will help.”

 Dr Pete Wilczynski, Interim Chair of Corby Healthcare, said: "The issues affect the whole of the health and social care system, so the solution also needs to come from the whole system. We will be working very closely with our colleagues in social care to ensure that the flow through our hospitals runs smoothly and that there is extra capacity available in the community for those who are ready to be discharged.

"We are also conscious that winter is not over yet, and we would continue to urge local people to ‘choose well’ when accessing local services and we also need to continue to ensure we are prepared for winter illnesses such as flu and norovirus. I would urge those who have not had their flu jab to do so as soon as possible.2

There has been continued pressure across both hospitals in Northamptonshire in recent weeks, in common with the whole NHS and there is no one specific reason for the extreme demand on services, but local issues we are aware of include:

• Delays in hospitals being able to accept a clinical handover from ambulance crews, due to the flow through the system.
• Finding appropriate accommodation for each patient once they are ready to be discharged from hospital
• Capacity in community beds and specialist care centres
• An increase in admissions to Northampton General Hospital in particular
• Increasing population of elderly and vulnerable patients

 Click here for more information on our winter campaign.

Click here for further details on alternative services in Northamptonshire including minor injury units, pharmacies and out of hours GP services.

Patients with recurrent ascites (fluid that continually builds up in their stomachs that causes pain and discomfort) currently have to be admitted to hospital to have this fluid drained on a regular basis.

The new service means that in suitable patients, the patient can opt to have a small tube (Permanent Peritoneal Drain) inserted into their stomach so that the fluid can be safely and easily drained in the patient’s home, with the support from a community nurse and will not need to be admitted to hospital for this treatment.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: "This new service will improve quality of life for patients in the final stages of their life. It means that terminally ill patients will be able to spend more time in the comfort of their own homes and will be able to access the treatment more quickly, with the help of a community nurse."

Dr Pete Wilczynski, Chair of Corby Healthcare, said: "In 2010/11 there were 46 hospital readmissions in the county for ascites drainage, and we know that in some circumstances, patients will delay the drainage until they require a hospital admission. Without adequate drainage, ascites can significantly affect quality of life for patients, and by providing the service in their own homes the treatment will be more convenient and less stressful for the patient."

As well as improving quality of life for terminally ill patients, it is estimated the new service will save around £13,000 a year.

The commissioning of this service is being developed by the new clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare, in partnership with Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust, and the service will be provided by Northampton General Hospital. From April 2013, the CCGs will take over full commissioning responsibility when PCTs are abolished.

The blood test, known as Cancer Antigen 125 (CA-125) is recommended for use by GPs in the assessment of patients with frequent abdominal or urinary symptoms that might indicate ovarian disease. Patients with a positive test will then be referred for pelvic ultrasound which can detect early changes in the ovaries or help rule out a diagnosis of cancer.

The CA-125 test is currently available to patients in the south at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, and will be available to patients in the north from Kettering General Hospital Foundation Trust before Christmas. Both Trusts are making provision for additional ultrasound capacity as GPs adopt the early diagnosis pathway.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: "There are approximately 50 – 60 cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in Northamptonshire every year. Of these, around 25% are diagnosed in the early stages (organ only). It is estimated that by making both tests available countywide, up to 50% of diagnoses will be in the earlier stages and a further eight lives a year could be saved."

Dr Peter Wilczynski, Chair of Corby Healthcare, said: "Diagnosing more cases of ovarian cancer early will simplify treatments, making things more straightforward for patients suffering with the disease. This is good for patients and makes sense for the NHS as early diagnosis is likely to release resources to treat other patients in the short to medium term."

Dr Stephen Rogers, Consultant in Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire, said: "Ovarian cancer affects around 65,000 women in the UK every year and is the fifth most common cancer among women after breast cancer, bowel cancer, lung cancer and cancer of the uterus.

"While some symptoms can be similar to those of other conditions, early indicators to look out for include pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, persistent bloating and feeling full. I am delighted to be working with our Clinical Commissioning Groups and hospital colleagues to assure diagnostics are available to support early diagnosis of this disease."

The Specialist Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Nurse Counsellor was previously only available as a part time service so this means capacity will double and more patients can be seen.

The counselling service complements the Northamptonshire Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening Programme, which is offered to pregnant women and partners of identified carrier mothers. (see below for information on Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia)

Dr Darin Seiger, Chair of Nene Commissioning, said: “This is great news for patients with Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia. Northamptonshire is an area of high prevalence for these two conditions. We know that these diagnoses can be very traumatic for the patient. Both have life changing and life limiting consequences, including in many cases compromising the ability to have children. It is essential that we have an effective and supportive counselling service in place to help people come to terms with their condition and manage it.”

Dr Pete Wilczynski, Chair of Corby Healthcare, said: “We welcome the expansion of this service which will provide much greater support for patients with these conditions at their time of need as well as enabling people to self-manage their condition.”

Dr Funke Adedeji, Consultant in Public Health for NHS Northamptonshire, said: “The service will offer specialist advice and support to all pregnant women offered screening for Sickle Cell, Thalassaemia and other significant haemoglobin variants.

“The service will also aim to educate health professionals and the wider community about the conditions and how best to manage them and to ensure any families new to the area are aware of the available services.

The service will encourage awareness and the testing of residents in the community to enable ‘carriers’ to make informed decisions about their future reproductive options early. The service aims to link both the newborn and antenatal screening programmes. It will also provide support to those diagnosed to have regular health checks.

“Many people with these conditions have to be hospitalised for pain management, transfusions, and surgery to deal with complications such as enlarged spleens and gall stones. However, evidence shows that more proactive patient management  through support to identify and avoid known ‘triggers’ of illness and sickle crisis could reduce the need for the more complicated hospital management.

Developed in line with recommendations from the East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group and the National Haemoglobinopathies Project, it is estimated that improvements in the coordination and delivery of care could reduce up to 5% of inpatient non-elective admissions related to haemoglobinopathies.

At this stage, the number of cases of Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia in Northamptonshire are not known. The National Haemoglobinopathy Register, launched in 2010, is still being populated. Once this database is complete, the NHS will have a more accurate indication of the scale of these conditions in Northamptonshire.

The commissioning of this service was initially led by the Strategic Health Authority and NHS Northamptonshire and is being developed by the new clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) Nene Commissioning and Corby Healthcare, in partnership with Northamptonshire Primary Care Trust. The countywide service will be provided by both Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals. From April 2013, the CCGs will take over full commissioning responsibility when PCTs are abolished.

More information on Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia
Further details are on the NHS Choices website.

Sickle Cell
Sickle Cell disease is the result of an inherited abnormality in the red blood cells, resulting in blood cells that ‘sickle’ and change shape irreversibly when they are low in oxygen. The Sickled red cells obstruct the flow of oxygen-bearing blood to the body’s major joints and internal organs, and when this occurs , the individual –commonly referred to as a ‘sickler’ – is said to be in ‘crisis’. The condition is most prevalent amongst black Caribbean, black African and black British people.

Thalassaemia
In Thalassaemia, the white cells and platelets are normal, but the red cells are small and too few in number, leading to a form of anaemia. This results in individuals with the severe form of thalassaemia getting tired very easily, and needing frequent blood transfusions to remain healthy.

Both sickle cell and thalassaemia are inherited diseases or haemoglobinopathies, which arise when both parents are “carriers” of the abnormal gene. The combination of each abnormal gene from the father and mother has a one in four chance of resulting in the birth of an affected child in every pregnancy. There is also a 1 in four chance that the newborn’s blood will be completely normal.

The Community Elderly Care Service was launched in December 2010 and aims to provide alternative care outside of hospital for frail elderly people in Northamptonshire. To date the service has allowed over 500 elderly people to be treated in their own homes or in the community where in the past they would have been admitted to hospital. This is less disruptive for the patient and their carers and provides a dedicated clinical assessment for each patient.

You can read Ben's blog here

Chief Executive Ben Gowland can be contacted via his PA on 01604 651118

Chairman Darin Seiger can be contacted via his PA on 01604 651113

For PLT, Practice Manager forum issues and sponsors contact 01604 651124

For the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Partnership, Pro Active Care, Personal Health Budgets, Community Elderly Care Service contact 01604 651129

Our postal address is:

Nene Commissioning, Francis Crick House, Summerhouse Road, Moulton Park, Northampton NN3 6BF.

He was met by a number of local GPs and given a demonstration of PathFinder (the web-based tool which helps GPs make appropriate referrals for their patients). Dr James Findlay, who developed PathFinder, was on hand to give the Minister a virtual tour of the tool.

Mr Lansley was also shown one of our Pro-Active Care teams in action and we took the opportunity to talk to him about the soon-to-be-launched community services for people at the end of their lives.

The Secretary of State's visit featured on BBC Look East that evening alongside an interview with Mr Jon Barratt, a patient of Pro-Active Care, who was seen getting his weekly "MOT" from community matron Michelle Holmes.

The event, to be held on 4th November, is aimed at agreeing how patient and public involvement in practice based commissioning in Northamptonshire might be improved.

If you'd like more information download our flyer here.

To book a place contact davina.merriman@nenecommissioning.com or call her on 01604 641162.

Places are limited so please book by 21st October 2009.

Dr Seiger's nomination was submitted by the team at Nene Commissioning to recognise his excellent and inspiring leadership.

The successful model for GP commissioning we have developed is generally recognised as being a strong forerunner of the Government's proposals. We have appeared on Radio 4 (twice in two days), BBC News 24 and the Guardian and Daily Telegraph newspapers. Numerous articles have appeared or are appearing in the professional press including GP magazine, the BMJ, the Nursing Standard and Healthmatters amongst others.

Googling Nene Commissioning will provide links to many of these positive articles.

The very successful event ended with the presentation of four Hall of Fame Awards as follows:

Partner of the Year: Two Joint Winners:

Dr Anwar Hussain for his work on the Northamptonshire Integrated Care Partnership

&

Jo Merritt for successfully taking on the role of End Of Life Link Nurse at Northampton General Hospital.

Practice of the Year:

The Mounts Medical Centre, Northampton for the way their whole team made a contribution to practice based commissioning in 2009/10.

GP of the Year:

Dr David Smart for his unceasing dedication to raising awareness of mental health issues in General Practice.

a) benefitted the local community we serve and

b) engaged service users and the public in the work we do.

We have recently submitted the first of these reports to the Regulator. Please find a copy of this report by following this link.

A recent report published by the Department of Health noted considerable concerns nationally about the administration of medicines in care homes. In Northamptonshire a scheme has been running for over a year which addresses many of these concerns.

Find out more here

Gary Belfield, Acting Director General of Commissioning and System Management at the Department of Health, said we “...have developed a profile beyond their immediate geography and are a source of inspiration and best practice for other PBC groups”

A profile of the two awards we won can be found on the NAPC website at

www.napcannual.co.uk

See our News Archive for more information about the awards we won in 2009.

For the second year running we have been named "Most Advanced PBC Consortium" - a real achievement considering the fact that many other consortia have been working exceptionally hard over the last 12 months.

Our work on Pro Active Care (see our Project Pages) has also been recognised with a PBC Vision Award for "Best Integrated Care Model".

Both awards were presented at the NAPC Conference held in Birmingham on 17th November.

The NHS Alliance Acorn Award for Excellence in Practice Based Commissioning 2009 was award to Nene Commissioning and NHS Northamptonshire for their work on establishing successful clinical commissioning in the county.

Dr Darin Seiger, Chairman of Nene Commissioning, Ben Gowland, the company's Chief Executive and Richard Alsop, Director of Systems and Strategy Management at NHS Northamptonshire accepted the award at the NHS Alliance conference in Manchester.

Dr Seiger said: “As clinicians we feel genuinely empowered through PBC to make all the significant decisions around the redesign of services for our patients. There is no other Primary Care Trust and Practice Based Commissioning group in the country which has worked so closely in partnership to take this county-wide, locality based approach and deliver so much for patients. I was very honoured to receive this award on behalf of the practices and management team at Nene Commissioning.”

John Parkes, Chief Executive of NHS Northamptonshire, said: “I am delighted that we have won this award. Effective clinical commissioning, which has been a pipe dream in some areas, is a reality in Northamptonshire, bringing great benefits to the local population."

The National Association of Primacy Care (NAPC) has shortlisted Nene Commissioning twice in the 2009 PBC Vision Awards.

Firstly, we have been shortlisted in the category of "Best Integrated Care Model" for our work on the Pro Active Care scheme. This is the scheme developed by local GPs to look after people at high risk of emergency admission in their own homes. The scheme integrates the services provided by GP practice staff, district/community nurses and the third sector (through Age Concern's "Little Help Scheme") and formed the basis for Northamptonshire's successful bid to become a national integrated care pilot.

Secondly, we have been shortlisted (for the second year running) in the category of "Most Advanced PBC Consortium" in the country. This is a title that we already hold from the inaugral awards last year.

The winners of the awards will be announced at the NAPC's Annual Conference in November.

Dr Bewick will talk about the upcoming Care Quality Commission regulation on all healthcare providers – including general practice – which will mean that all practices should demonstrate compliance with national quality standards.

The RCGP successfully piloted Primary Medical Care Provider Accreditation (PMCPA) last year and Dr Bewick will lead its further development and national roll out in Spring 2010. PMCPA is very likely to provide the national regulatory framework for the Care Quality Commission.

The Forums are the first in a series being run by Nene Commissioning to stimulate debate amongst PMs and allow opportunities for networking etc.

The two afternoon forums are being held in Kettering on Tuesday 24th & Daventry on Wednesday 25th November. All Nene Commissioning PMs are welcome to attend either event.

Follow this link for a flyer advertising the new forums

Follow this link for an invitation from Dr Darin Seiger and a registration form which you can print off and fax through to us

Our submission related to the way in which PBC had been established in Northamptonshire and the full document can be read here.

Nene Commissioning Community Interest Company, which was established in 2007 by 61 local GP practices, has been named “Most Advanced Practice Based Commissioning Consortium” in the country by the National Association of Primary Care.

This comes just five weeks after the Company was “Highly Commended” at the NHS Alliance Acorn Awards for its Care Homes Initiative.

Moulton GP Dr Darin Seiger, who Chairs the Nene Commissioning Board, said today “It is a great thrill for such a new organisation to be winning these awards. The national recognition that Northamptonshire GPs are receiving is evidence that we are at the cutting edge of practice-based commissioning. The new initiatives and services we are developing are starting to deliver real benefits to local people and I am proud of everyone involved with Nene Commissioning.”

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The award was presented today (16th October) to Nene Commissioning, a community interest company which brings together 61 local GP practices in re-designing health services to benefit people across the county.

The Care Homes Initiative is a scheme which sees Care Homes linked with one or a small number of local GP practices. This improves communication between GPs and care home staff and, in turn, improves the care for patients as they will see the same set of GPs on a regular basis. In the past, GPs could be required to visit Care Homes across the county if their patients were admitted, which involved visiting a large number of homes all with their own different systems. It also meant that each care home could be visited by a considerable number of practices. Now, a single relationship is developed which benefits the homes, the GPs and the patients alike

Dr Darin Seiger, the Moulton GP who chairs the Nene Commissioning Board says “This award is national recognition for an innovative scheme which will benefit local people and GPs in a number of ways. Nene Commissioning is a new organisation and to win/be nominated for such a prestigious award is a fantastic boost for the 270 GPs who are providing the clinical leadership for this and many other schemes.”

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