NHS Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is encouraging carers, services and businesses in the community to come together during Carers Week to help ‘Getting Carers Connected’ and celebrate the vital contribution made by carers in Wolverhampton.

Suzanne Henson, a 26-year-old mum from Wolverhampton, is supporting the launch of a new Specialist Perinatal Community Mental Health Service in the Black Country, by sharing her experience of perinatal depression. The new mental health service set up in January this year provides care and treatment to new and expectant mums experiencing severe mental health difficulties.

Patients and public in Wolverhampton are being asked ‘What Matters to You?’ when it comes to local healthcare services.

Dr Helen Hibbs, Accountable Officer at NHS Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group (WCCG) received the prestigious MBE award for services to NHS leadership. This includes leading WCCG to be rated ‘Outstanding’ by NHS England three years in a row. She will collect the award in person from the Queen later on this year.

Dr Hibbs, who lives in Wolverhampton with her husband Mike and two children, said she was ‘delighted’ at being awarded an MBE.

She said, “I am honoured to receive this recognition on behalf of all the wonderful teams I have and do currently work with, both in Wolverhampton and across the Black Country. I have always been extremely proud to work for the NHS and would like to thank my colleagues, friends and family who have supported me.”

Charlotte Hibbs, daughter of Dr Hibbs said today, "I've always looked up to my mum and admired her dedication to her work. I'm really pleased that she is receiving this recognition of all her hard work over the years for the people of Wolverhampton."

Dr Salma Reehana, Wolverhampton GP and Chair of WCCG said today, “Helen has worked within the CCG for a long time now and has been an excellent team player. As the Accountable Officer for WCCG, she has been instrumental is achieving three consecutive ‘Outstanding’ ratings from NHS England. She has always championed patient care to be at the core of all the work done within CCG and has strived hard in maintaining good working relationships with all stakeholders for the organisation. I am very pleased that her excellent work is being recognised in this honour being bestowed upon her. Congratulations Helen.”

Celebrating the news, Sue Thornhill, Practice Manager at Parkfield Medical Practice said, “I have known Helen for 18 years, working alongside her both at Parkfield Medical Practice and Ettingshall Medical Practice. I have seen first-hand the difference she has made to patients, also in her personal support of colleagues in our team and their families. Over the years I have witnessed Helen develop as a leader and hold a variety of senior roles in Wolverhampton. Away from the practice, Helen maintained her determination to improve health inequalities, keeping up to date with current practice and patient issues on the ground. The Parkfield team are pleased to see Helen gain recognition and congratulate her on this well-deserved award.”

After training at Nottingham Medical School and subsequently working in Coventry and Rugby as a hospital doctor, Dr Hibbs moved to Wolverhampton to become a GP. She spent 29 years at Parkfield Medical Practice, eventually running two practices with a combined list size of 17000 patients.

More recently in 2013, Dr Hibbs became WCCG Accountable Officer to lead commissioning of health services for the population of Wolverhampton.

In May 2018, Dr Hibbs’s leadership role extended across the Black Country and West Birmingham when she became the Senior Responsible Officer of 18 local health and care organisations. As part of this role, she has been the driving force behind the integration of health and social care services locally.

Parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) are being encouraged to have their say to help shape services in the future.

Voice4Parents, an independent forum of parents and carers, is carrying out its annual survey, the findings of which will be used by Wolverhampton's SEND Partnership Board as it develops the city's SEND Strategy for the next few years.

The survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/FCMGRRS until Sunday 14 July, 2019.