Brain Tumour Awareness Month is an important initiative that aims to raise awareness and provide vital information about brain tumours.  Brain cancer is the 9th most common cancer in the UK. It’s also the largest cancer killer of people aged 40 and under. Around 12,000 people will be diagnosed with a brain tumour each year,... Continue reading→

Cancer is one of the biggest contributors to inequalities in life expectancy, with people from the most deprived communities more likely to get cancer, be diagnosed at a later stage and die from the disease.  Life expectancy gaps between the most deprived and least deprived quintiles in Shropshire for 2020-21 indicate a life expectancy gap... Continue reading→

Following the most recent National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) had several areas that required improvement. Actions are now being put into place to enhance patient experience for the patients and their loved ones. This includes supporting our Cancer Care Navigator workforce by enabling and encouraging learning development... Continue reading→

Many things that affect our health can’t be fixed by a medical prescription. People living with cancer have varied needs, and cancer can affect all aspects of a person’s life; from relationships, to work to financial pressures. Cancer can have a huge emotional impact on the individual and those around them.   However, by talking to... Continue reading→

The newly established Cancer Programme Team has been appointed to take forward the effective implementation of a high profile whole system strategy for transforming cancer services across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (STW).   The Integrated Care System Cancer Strategy mirrors the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan and within STW we now have the opportunity... Continue reading→

 Across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin there is support available to support children and young people. Some of these services includes:  Healthier Together online information for young person’s mental health including information about anxiety, depression, anger, eating difficulties, bullying, self-harm and more  Beam is an emotional wellbeing drop-in service for young people aged 5 to 18... Continue reading→

Two system-wide workstreams are making positive progress against local commitments to improve the care and support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Speech, language and communication workstream The Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) workstream has recently been nominated for a NHS England SEND Award due to it's strong... Continue reading→

Trailblazing Mental Health Support Teams are working with 79 primary, secondary and specialist schools across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to promote the early detection and prevention of mental health problems among pupils. There are currently four teams working alongside participating schools in the county – covering North Telford, South Telford, North East Shropshire, and... Continue reading→

On Wednesday 29 November, the meeting of NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (STW) Integrated Care Board was opened by Chair, Sir Neil Mckay, who started the meeting by acknowledging the intense sadness in relation to the death of the four teenage boys who tragically died the week before in a road accident and offered his... Continue reading→

Living with the loss of a loved one is always hard, but grief can be overwhelming at certain times of the year. Christmas can be an especially difficult time for people if they have experienced a loss. For me, Christmas is a time when people come together to celebrate and enjoy each other’s company, but... Continue reading→

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) is working with partners across health, education and tech to pilot new falls prevention methods. The Trust has identified opportunities to pilot innovative support and technology to enhance its offer to patients and help minimise the impact falls have on quality of life and health along with the... Continue reading→

The Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Talking Therapies Service at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) offers support to people who are struggling with their mental health. This may include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), counselling and self-help techniques, among other support. Alongside the support provided by the service, the 5 Ways to Wellbeing are... Continue reading→

Following the success of the Care Home COVID-19 vaccine programme, the campaign has gone from strength to strength with COVID Vaccine uptake now reaching the 100,000 milestone. This autumn’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign began in September, initially focusing on Nursing and Care homes across the county, with clinics for other eligible residents beginning later in the... Continue reading→

The first in a series of partnership events, aimed to bring together a wide range of decision-makers and experts across the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, as well as the Integrated Care System (ICS), took place recently to mark an important step towards greater collaboration.   The ‘Working with the Sector: The Key to... Continue reading→

Twelve months on from when local practices gave the GP Board its mandate to represent the voice of General Practice across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, Dr Julian Povey has been formally appointed as the Board’s new Chair.  The Local Medical Committee (LMC), supported by NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) leaders, appointed Dr Povey... Continue reading→

On Saturday, 14 October, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust celebrated Allied Health Professions (AHP) Day, a chance to celebrate and thank AHP colleagues who play a key role at the Trust, supporting doctors and nurses in every department. Across The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, AHP colleagues work in many different specialities... Continue reading→

Within the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System, we recognise that the black community has played a pivotal role in shaping the healthcare landscape; from pioneering doctors and nurses to healthcare researchers.   Black History Month affords us the opportunity to celebrate these contributions and continue our commitment to creating an inclusive healthcare environment for... Continue reading→

To embrace the theme of ‘Saluting Our Sisters’ this Black History Month, trailblazer Michelle Cox recently joined colleagues at a system EDI event to share her personal experiences and to inspire others to create change for the better. Speaking at the event, Michelle who is a registered general nurse from Liverpool, spoke of her difficult... Continue reading→

Ewuradjoa Phillips-Odoom (AJ) is a sister on Day Surgery at Princess Royal Hospital. AJ spoke up after concerns about racism from a patient. Colleagues were feeling sad, unworthy and disrespected, and for AJ, it brought back memories of racism she had faced in the past. AJ submitted a Datix and spoke to management who were... Continue reading→

This October our council is celebrating and commemorating Black History Month, which was first held in 1987 on the year of the African Jubilee and the 150th anniversary of Caribbean emancipation. This year's chosen theme revolves around honouring and 'saluting our sisters', acknowledging and applauding the invaluable contributions that black women have made throughout the diaspora. .... Continue reading→

Health and care staff across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin coming together to celebrate cultural diversity at Equality, Diversity and Inclusion event In Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin we are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming culture for our staff and patients. This will be achieved by continuing to learn from the experience of our... Continue reading→

Social Prescribing is a free and confidential service to help people improve their health and wellbeing. In Shropshire our fully integrated Social Prescribing programme helps thousands of people each year take charge of their own health and wellbeing and improve their lives. As a population with hidden inequalities and 66% of the population living a... Continue reading→

Shropshire Council’s health checks for the farming community have gone from strength to strength since they launched at Shrewsbury livestock auctions in January 2023, with over 300 health checks now delivered.  The programme has been led by the council’s public health team (including animal welfare and community wellbeing outreach teams) and Shropshire Rural Support. Health... Continue reading→

As partners across the system prepared to begin the Autumn COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign, the potential for increased risk due to a new variant has meant that plans have had to change at very short notice. This new variant of COVID-19 (BA.2.86), which was identified in the UK in August, has appeared in several countries in... Continue reading→

Healthier Together – Improving the quality of care for Children and Young People in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin

Telford & Wrekin Council have invested £75,000 to help invigorate the borough's green spaces and encourage exercise in nature as part of its "Green Spaces Are Go" campaign. The council gave various not-for-profit organisations grants to fund and collaborate on projects with the aim of helping to spark people's fitness journeys. Over the summer, people... Continue reading→

My name is Sam and I am a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner with the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Talking Therapies teams at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT). My job is to provide low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to support people with common mental health conditions, such as low mood and anxiety. We can all... Continue reading→

Mental health support making a difference to people sleeping rough and homeless A team of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) staff are working with local authorities, housing associations and voluntary and community organisations in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin to offer mental health support to those for whom a roof over their heads... Continue reading→

InHIP Community Blood Pressure Checks Project An innovative Community Blood Pressure Check project has been successfully rolled out over the summer in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin as part of the National Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities Programme( InHIP). The project builds on existing cardiovascular Disease (CVD) prevention work focused on hypertension where common pathways for detection,... Continue reading→

By supporting people to make healthier lifestyle choices and identifying and managing risk factors, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, we can largely prevent CVD and save lives. For example, by ensuring an additional 10,000 people receive appropriate treatment for their high blood pressure, we can prevent 152 CVD events (heart attacks and strokes),... Continue reading→

The Cancer Champions project is being rolled out throughout Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin (STW) as part of a national initiative known as Core Connectors. The project aims to increase the uptake of cancer screening invitations, and help drive early cancer diagnosis and prevention, particularly within underserved communities. The project formally launched in August 2022 and... Continue reading→

Last week, Executives and Directors from Shropshire Community Health Trust (ShropCom) and NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW), revisited the roles that kick-started their NHS careers This was part of a series of special anniversary shifts to celebrate 75 years of the National Health Service. Chief Executive of NHS STW, Simon Whitehouse and Claire... Continue reading→

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s (MPFT) Big Celebration Month was held throughout June, marking MPFT’s 5th birthday on 1 June and leading up to the 75th birthday of the NHS on 5 July. The Big Celebration month was all about our people: recognising and celebrating all the great things we achieve at work! There... Continue reading→

On Saturday 8th July, NHS staff, volunteers and the local community took to the ParkRuns across our county, including Shrewsbury and Oswestry, for special ParkRun events to celebrate the 75th birthday of the NHS.  Backed by the likes of tennis star, Sir Andy Murray, ParkRuns across the country took part in ‘ParkRun for the NHS’... Continue reading→

By Rachael Jones, Senior Communications and Engagement Manager at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin  “There will be no more doctor’s bill” declared Aneurin Bevan in 1948. A statement that signified the inception of a health and care system, free at the point of contact and accessible to all in the United Kingdom.   It is... Continue reading→

ShropCom’s LGBTQ+ Staff group is relaunching during Pride Month, Thursday 29 June.   The focus of this meeting will be looking at the results of the staff survey through an LGBTQ+ lens, and to try to understand some of the staff experience behind the numbers. Mark Goodfellow, Digital Clinical Lead for Virtual Ward and ShropCom LGBTQ+... Continue reading→

Pride at SaTH Pride awareness helps to recognise the difficulties LGBTQIA+ colleagues and patients/service users may experience in their lives both within and outside the workplace. These may be in the forms of discrimination at work, harassment in their community, or limited rights in society. Pride awareness opens opportunities for our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and patients/service... Continue reading→

News from our partners on important Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work for our system Colleagues at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital (RJAH) recently ran an important Staff Listening Event, to invite discussions and feedback on developing staff networks across the system, as well as the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy and Action Plan. Guest... Continue reading→

Envisioned as a supportive beacon for young individuals, Recharge resides in the heart of Telford and Wrekin as part of a broader drug and alcohol partnership led by Telford & Wrekin Council.   For six years, Recharge has been a sanctuary for youngsters between the ages of 12 to 21, working in a preventative and supportive... Continue reading→

Telford & Wrekin Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) offer services to family and friend carers of all ages, from five years old and up. If you look after someone who couldn’t manage without you, maybe someone who is physically or mentally ill, disabled, frail, has an alcohol or substance addiction, and you live in Telford... Continue reading→

Telford and Wrekin's new specialist Domestic Abuse Support Service launched on June 1. Two charities - Cranstoun and West Mercia Women's Aid - with expertise in supporting domestic abuse victims will deliver the service. This new partnership with domestic abuse specialists Cranstoun and West Mercia Women's Aid will enable anyone suffering from domestic abuse to...

An innovative pilot project has been launched across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin to reduce the number of hospital admissions from care homes. In older age, people tend to lose their sense of thirst and often feel reluctant to drink fluids. Research suggests that one in five older people who live in care homes do not... Continue reading→

Last week was Dementia Action Week (15-21 May), and to support NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin attended the inaugural Dementia Support Information Day event at the Shrewsbury Town Football Club on Thursday 18 May. The well-attended event offered an invaluable opportunity for members of the public to find out more about dementia, as the aim... Continue reading→

As part of the extensive engagement activity taking place for the ‘Big Health and Wellbeing Conversation’, NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin has recently called on the skills and expertise of the voluntary sector to help bolster community engagement activity with targeted groups e.g. young people, rural areas, ethnic minority groups, those living in areas of... Continue reading→

Staff and pupils from St. John's Catholic Primary School, Bridgnorth were excited to welcome a team of nurses from Shropshire Community Health Trust (ShropCom) for a special International Nurses Day assembly. During the assembly, the children were kept engaged by the team from ShropCom as they shared what it means to be a nurse, key... Continue reading→

To mark International Nurses Day on 12 May we are celebrating the contribution Admiral Nurses make to society and shining a light on the amazing work they do across the county. In Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin we have a team of seven fabulous Admiral Nurses (four in Shropshire and three in Telford and Wrekin) employed... Continue reading→

Colleagues at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) are being celebrated to mark Nurses’ Day. The Trust that runs Shropshire’s two acute hospitals is saying a big thank you to its 2,100 nurses and will be rewarding their dedication by hosting its first Joint Nursing/Allied Health Professionals (AHP)/Midwifery Conference. Key speakers, treats including... Continue reading→

A staff nurse, who works at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, has shared his experiences of being part of the specialist orthopaedic hospital this International Nurses‘ Day. Felix Otieno, originally from Kenya, joined RJAH back in August 2021, following an overseas recruitment drive from the hospital. As a trained and experienced nurse... Continue reading→

NHS donates children’s book promoting diversity of nursing A book written by a nurse and her granddaughter is being donated to libraries across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ahead of International Nurses Day on 12 May. ‘Ella’s Grandpa goes Hippity Hop!’ aims to reflect the diverse and varied roles that make up nursing teams in today’s... Continue reading→

On Friday 5 May, International Day of the Midwife (IDM) was celebrated around the world. At a system level we were provided the opportunity to thank our midwifery colleagues at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital (SaTH) for all that they do. This year's IDM theme, 'Together again: from evidence to reality' is a nod to... Continue reading→

Following Shropshire Council being awarded £1.4 million following a successful bid for funding to support rough sleepers and those at risk of rough sleeping via the Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Treatment Grant provided by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) commissioned partners have worked together to establish the RESET project. The project... Continue reading→

Beth Pink is a Community Mental Health Nurse working in the Dementia Assessment and Support Service in Oswestry, Shropshire. The service is run by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPUFT) and provides a Dementia Care Pathway across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin that delivers specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment for people with cognitive problems... Continue reading→

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) has been awarded University Trust status from Keele University in a move that will help patients, students and colleagues in local communities. The newly named Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust will continue to provide high quality evidence-based care while building on its strategic links with Keele University to... Continue reading→

We all have times when our stress levels feel raised but working in health care has been found to leave us even more vulnerable to the pressure of work-related stress. Work-related stress has been defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as 'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of... Continue reading→

Funded by Arts Council England and delivered by the National Centre for Creative Health The National Centre for Creative Health (NCCH) is delighted to announce the Creative Health Associates Programme. Funded by Arts Council England and delivered by NCCH, the Creative Health Associates programme will see seven Creative Health Associates, one in each of the... Continue reading→

Telford & Wrekin Council and partners have underlined their commitment to prevent and tackle all forms of domestic abuse with the launch of a new strategy. The Domestic Abuse Strategy 2023-25 was approved at the council's cabinet meeting and the borough’s health and wellbeing board in March, and a new integrated domestic abuse service was... Continue reading→

Collaborative arrangements during the pandemic allowed for a system wide approach to Advance Care planning which initially enabled a team of nurses and doctors to support care home residents in conversations about their care needs and future wishes, working together to develop a plan of care that indicated  what to do if a person’s health... Continue reading→

Hi, for those who don’t know me, I’m Marianne Grant. I’m the new Voluntary Sector Engagement and Partnership Lead, and alongside colleagues across the sector, I will be working to embed the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector firmly within the Integrated Care System – no mean feat, I’m sure you’ll agree. Since signing... Continue reading→

The United Nations theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is DigitALL – celebrating women across the globe with a special focus on women who are making advancements with technology.  Shropshire Community Health Trust (ShropCom) are marking the day by celebrating all women who work at the Trust alongside shining a spotlight on female colleagues... Continue reading→

This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating a nurse who champions collaborative working between Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (Shropcom) and The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH).  Sam Young, who works across both organisations as Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), described her dual role as “rewarding and beneficial to the... Continue reading→

The number of women taking part in NHS breast and cervical screening services is falling across England, so we worked together as an Integrated Care System to find out why this is happening locally, and to better understand women’s experience of support and advice during their menopause. Last year, over 3,000 women across Shropshire, Telford... Continue reading→

Shropshire Council is proud to announce that Laura Fisher, its hardworking, solution-delivering, team-leading, council-inspiring, caring and collaborative Head of Housing, Resettlement and Independent Living, has just made the shortlist at the prestigious Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards 2023. The annual awards are the biggest celebration of excellence in local government, offering those involved the chance... Continue reading→

As we’re marking International Women’s Day, we took the opportunity to talk to Ashia Miah, Founder and Chair of the Shropshire and Telford United Women’s Association and member of our newly formed Equality and Involvement Committee*. Ashia, tell us a little about yourself? I was born in Bangladesh but came to Birmingham when I was... Continue reading→

The 6 February 2023 marks the start of Children’s Mental Health Week. This year’s theme is ‘Let’s Connect’ which is fitting as that is what BeeU has set out to achieve in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin – connecting organisations so health and care is more joined up, as well as connecting people to the right... Continue reading→

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin School Aged Immunisation service offers vaccinations to all children aged 4 (in reception year) to 16 and up to 18 year olds in special educational needs schools. The service works with schools across the county to deliver its vaccination programmes throughout the school term-time. In addition, the service also offers community... Continue reading→

NHS Shropshire Telford and Wrekin has recently been successful in securing NHS England funding to support the transformation of asthma services for children and young people. This exciting programme includes Annual Asthma Reviews, 48 Hour Asthma Reviews for children post-hospital discharge, specialist training and partnership working. A number of GP practices are currently involved in... Continue reading→

Trying new and exciting things is an integral part of growing up. It's how a child can discover a talent or passion they did now know they had. For this reason, Telford & Wrekin Council launched 10 by 10 to encourage children to try ten key extra-circular activities before age 10. The 10 by 10... Continue reading→

Transitioning from children’s to adults’ healthcare services can be daunting for many young people, however a nurse at RJAH is there to support. Sarah Ford, who is the Trust’s dedicated Transition Nurse, supports children and young people with long-term conditions to move to adult care services. Transition is a gradual process that gives the patient... Continue reading→

On Monday 16 January, partners and parents from across Shropshire met to discuss how to improve the co-production of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) services. The room was packed with over fifty people from health, care and education – but also parents and carers of children and young people with SEND. Everyone came together for... Continue reading→

Made up of individuals from the NHS, local councils and our communities, Betty the Vaccination Bus has been working to give everyone in the borough the opportunity to be vaccinated in a friendly and supportive way. Debbie Wiltshire, Administrator of the Shropcom Vaccination Team, said: "Having just spent a shift working alongside two of your... Continue reading→

Shropshire’s first Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) is on track to open its doors to patients in the summer. The new centre, located in Telford, will see elective diagnostic tests delivered away from the acute hospital sites and separately from urgent diagnostic scans. It will reduce waiting times for non-urgent tests and reduce the risk of... Continue reading→

On 1 April 2023, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board (ICB) will become responsible for the commissioning of community pharmacy, community optometry and NHS dental care services across our system. These services have previously been commissioned and managed by NHS England in the Midlands.  However, delegation in April 2023 will allow Shropshire, Telford and... Continue reading→

Samantha has been a baby friendly lead nurse for over a year now and she has gone above and beyond to improve the experience for families on the Neonatal Unit. Samantha’s dedication was also recognised at the Annual Recognition week and the Trust’s Celebratory awards 2022 where she won a ‘Clinical Rising Star’ Award. Samantha... Continue reading→

Staff working in Shropshire’s Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) team are celebrating becoming the first EIP service nationally to be accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The Early Intervention in Psychosis Pathway supports people aged between 14-65 and their families/carers, who are experiencing – or at risk of experiencing – their first episode of... Continue reading→

The Catering team at RJAH are celebrating after the food they produce and serve has been highlighted in a national patient survey as the best in the country. More than 1,200 patients who stayed at RJAH for at least one night during November 2021 were asked to take part in the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC)... Continue reading→

Shropshire Council’s Health, Wellbeing and Prevention Directorate is one of a kind - their work has continued to improve health outcomes across Shropshire. Their fully integrated Social Prescribing team have been helping thousands of people a year to take charge of their own health and wellbeing and improve their lives. Working in partnership across health,... Continue reading→

A big shout-out to the staff and volunteers from the Independent Living Centre in Telford for the amazing job they do in assisting residents to find out more about care, support and living well at home, as independently as possible. This year the team has been helping over 1,000 local people get the support they... Continue reading→